Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in Sands End conservation area
In the Sands End conservation area (Hammersmith & Fulham), external wall insulation needs planning permission, and so does an air source heat pump on a wall or roof facing the road; one at the back or side, internal and loft insulation and solar panels on a roof slope normally do not. The area has 1 listed building; on a listed building solar panels and heat pumps are not permitted development at all and need planning permission and listed building consent. 1,964 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 0.1% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 4.3% heat with a gas boiler and 3.5% are rated D–G; 244 have a heat pump. EPC register November 2026; rules as at 21 October 2026.
Data: EPC register November 2026 (latest certificate per home), conservation area boundaries 3 November 2026, permitted development rules as at 21 October 2026 · calculated 5 November 2026 · Methodology and sources
1,964homes with an energy certificate
0.1%solid walls, no insulation
4.3%heated by a gas boiler
244heat pumps
Article 4: Hammersmith & Fulham does not publish Article 4 areas on planning.data.gov.uk — check with the council.
What needs planning permission in Sands End
Work (house, not listed)
In a conservation area
Rule
Air source heat pump on a wall or roof facing the road, or nearer the road than the house
Planning permission needed
Part 14 Class G, G.1(j)
Air source heat pump at the back or side (outdoor unit up to 1.5 m³, MCS Planning Standards, one per house — two on a detached house)
No permission needed (permitted development), unless an Article 4 direction removes it — check with the council
Part 14 Class G
Solar panels on a pitched roof (up to 0.2 m proud, not above the ridge)
No permission needed (permitted development), unless an Article 4 direction removes it — check with the council
Part 14 Class A, A.2(c)
Solar panels on a wall, balcony or roof enclosure facing the road
Planning permission needed
Part 14 Class A, A.2(e)
Solar panels on a flat roof (up to 0.6 m above the roof)
Prior approval of appearance from the council, unless an Article 4 direction removes it — check with the council
Replacement windows and doors of similar appearance
No permission needed (permitted development), unless an Article 4 direction removes it — check with the council
Part 1 Class A, A.3(a)
Listed buildings: 1 in the area (grade I: 0, II*: 1). The table is for houses that are not listed: on a listed building, solar panels and air source heat pumps are not permitted development at all (they need planning permission), and any of these works needs listed building consent.
Flats: 98% of the certified homes here are flats or maisonettes. Homes in a block of flats have no householder rights for alterations; heat pumps and solar have their own, tighter rules for blocks of flats.
The homes in the area (latest certificate per home, n = 1,964)
Walls
Homes
Share
Other or not known
757
38.5%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
583
29.7%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
544
27.7%
Timber frame
40
2.0%
Solid wall, insulated
15
0.8%
Cavity wall, internal or external insulation
9
0.5%
Cavity wall, filled
8
0.4%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
5
0.3%
Cavity wall, unfilled
2
0.1%
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
1
0.1%
Heating
Homes
Share
Communal heating
975
49.6%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
649
33.0%
Heat pump
244
12.4%
Gas boiler
84
4.3%
Other
12
0.6%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
Under 200 mm
7
0.4%
200 mm or more
7
0.4%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
161
8.2%
Flat or other home above
1,641
83.6%
Other
148
7.5%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
1,921
97.8%
Triple glazed
26
1.3%
Other
11
0.6%
Single glazed
6
0.3%
BC
Energy rating: A 2 (0.1%) · B 1,095 (55.8%) · C 799 (40.7%) · D 60 (3.1%) · E 5 (0.3%) · F 3 (0.2%). Houses and bungalows: 2% of the homes; solar panels on 0.0% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: 2003-2006.
Compared with Hammersmith & Fulham and England
Share of homes
Sands End
All 46 areas in Hammersmith & Fulham
England
Solid walls, no insulation
0.1%
65.3%
48.7%
Gas boiler
4.3%
70.7%
66.4%
Rated D–G
3.5%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 64% of these are from 2020 or later (latest 30 October 2026). “No insulation (assumed)” is the assessor's default for older walls.
The rules are England's national permitted development rules (General Permitted Development Order 2015, Schedule 2, as at 21 October 2026). They do not cover building regulations or a council's own conditions. This is not a planning decision: ask Hammersmith & Fulham if in doubt.
Boundary: London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham via planning.data.gov.uk (entity 44012341, reference 41, 47.9 ha). Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.