Air source heat pumps in a conservation area
In a conservation area in England an air source heat pump needs planning permission if it goes on a wall or roof facing the road, or nearer the road than the house; at the back or side it is permitted development (MCS Planning Standards, outdoor unit up to 1.5 m³) unless the house is listed or an Article 4 direction removes the right. Of the 1,931,175 homes with an energy certificate inside conservation areas, 28,526 (1.5%) heat with a heat pump and 66.4% with a gas boiler. Rules as at 21 October 2026; EPC register November 2026.
Am I in a conservation area? Check a postcode first: the rules below apply only inside one.
What needs planning permission
| 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) | Part 14 Class G |
An air source heat pump on a house is permitted development under Part 14 Class G of the General Permitted Development Order 2015, as long as the installation meets the MCS Planning Standards, the outdoor unit is no bigger than 1.5 m³ and there is one heat pump per house (two on a detached house).
A conservation area adds one limit: the heat pump must not be installed on a wall or roof that fronts a highway, or nearer to a highway that bounds the property than any part of the house is. So a unit at the back or side is normally permitted development, and one on the front or facing the road needs planning permission.
On a listed building an air source heat pump is not permitted development at all: it needs planning permission and listed building consent. Homes in a block of flats have their own, tighter rules.
General Permitted Development Order 2015, Schedule 2 (England), text as at 21 October 2026: legislation.gov.uk. National rules for houses, not a planning decision; building regulations still apply. If in doubt, ask the council.
Article 4 directions
A council can remove this permitted development right with an Article 4 direction. Of the 6,655 conservation areas with a page, 4 overlap an Article 4 direction that, by its published data, removes it; in 508 more a direction overlaps the area but its data does not say which rights it removes; for 3,581 areas the council does not publish its Article 4 directions on planning.data.gov.uk. 116 of the 306 councils with conservation areas publish them; a direction can exist on paper without being in the data, so check with the council.
| Conservation area (largest 4 of 4) | Council | Homes with EPC |
|---|---|---|
| Hampstead Garden Suburb | Barnet | 3,679 |
| Raikes | Blackpool | 1,120 |
| Hendon The Burroughs | Barnet | 62 |
| Lady Herbert's Garden and the Burges | Coventry | 51 |
Do I need planning permission for an air source heat pump in a conservation area?
Yes if it is installed on a wall or roof that fronts a highway, or nearer to a highway that bounds the property than the house is. At the back or side it is permitted development if it meets the MCS Planning Standards, the outdoor unit is no bigger than 1.5 m³ and the house is not a listed building (GPDO 2015 Schedule 2 Part 14 Class G).
The homes inside conservation areas, by region
Latest energy certificate of each home whose address point lies inside a conservation area; a home inside two overlapping areas is counted once. Shares are of the homes whose certificate records that feature.
| Region | Homes with EPC | Heat pump | Gas boiler | Oil, LPG or solid fuel | Electric | Areas with Article 4 removing the right |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| England | 1,931,175 | 1.5% (28,526) | 66.4% (1,282,111) | 5.1% (97,843) | 20.4% (394,083) | 4 |
| East Midlands | 135,412 | 1.8% (2,463) | 65.6% (88,893) | 8.7% (11,764) | 21.5% (29,165) | 0 |
| East of England | 211,155 | 2.6% (5,443) | 62.5% (131,885) | 10.0% (21,108) | 21.6% (45,544) | 0 |
| London | 532,838 | 1.1% (6,117) | 72.7% (387,606) | 0.1% (708) | 11.7% (62,204) | 2 |
| North East | 55,488 | 1.1% (620) | 67.7% (37,575) | 6.8% (3,774) | 20.5% (11,393) | 0 |
| North West | 149,150 | 0.6% (897) | 64.2% (95,710) | 1.9% (2,848) | 29.2% (43,589) | 1 |
| South East | 276,591 | 1.8% (4,847) | 66.8% (184,740) | 6.7% (18,497) | 21.1% (58,454) | 0 |
| South West | 295,220 | 1.7% (4,927) | 60.2% (177,772) | 8.3% (24,501) | 25.4% (75,032) | 0 |
| West Midlands | 93,379 | 1.2% (1,133) | 60.6% (56,546) | 5.5% (5,116) | 28.8% (26,920) | 1 |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | 181,942 | 1.1% (2,079) | 66.7% (121,384) | 5.2% (9,527) | 23.0% (41,782) | 0 |
Most homes with a heat pump
| Conservation area | Council | Homes with EPC | Heat pump |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sands End | Hammersmith & Fulham | 1,964 | 244 (12.4%) |
| Mayfair | Westminster | 3,672 | 207 (5.6%) |
| Battersea Park | Wandsworth | 3,193 | 157 (4.9%) |
| Glaven Valley | North Norfolk | 1,402 | 152 (10.8%) |
| Harley Street | Westminster | 3,438 | 143 (4.2%) |
| Bayswater | Westminster | 10,657 | 138 (1.3%) |
| Soho | Westminster | 2,002 | 129 (6.4%) |
| Stapleton and Frome Valley | Bristol | 2,530 | 115 (4.5%) |
| Queen’s Gate | Kensington and Chelsea | 2,638 | 110 (4.2%) |
| New Town And Glisson Road | Cambridge | 1,331 | 104 (7.8%) |
Most homes still heated by a gas boiler
| Conservation area | Council | Homes with EPC | Gas boiler |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bath | Bath and North East Somerset | 16,898 | 12,386 (73.3%) |
| Central | Cheltenham | 14,648 | 10,446 (71.3%) |
| Harrogate | North Yorkshire | 9,070 | 7,099 (78.3%) |
| Bayswater | Westminster | 10,657 | 5,622 (52.8%) |
| Royal Leamington Spa | Warwick | 7,728 | 5,424 (70.2%) |
| Blackheath | Greenwich | 6,198 | 5,067 (81.8%) |
| Maida Vale | Westminster | 5,615 | 5,029 (89.6%) |
| Weston-super-Mare | North Somerset | 7,197 | 4,496 (62.5%) |
| Scarborough | North Yorkshire | 6,814 | 4,426 (65.0%) |
| Clifton | Bristol | 5,577 | 4,086 (73.3%) |
By region: areas with the most homes with a heat pump
East Midlands
- Breedon on the Hill 35
- Mapperley Park and Alexandra Park 34
- Castle Bytham 30
- Eakring 27
- Wellington Circus 27
East of England
London
- Sands End 244
- Mayfair 207
- Battersea Park 157
- Harley Street 143
- Bayswater 138
North East
- Cockfield 46
- Norham 36
- Middleton-in-Teesdale 25
- Humshaugh 24
- Chatton 21
North West
South East
- Burford 93
- St Mary Bourne and Stoke 63
- Western Escarpment 63
- Stanton Harcourt And Sutton 59
- Abingdon Town Centre 51
South West
- Stapleton and Frome Valley 115
- Bath 102
- Bradford on Avon No 1 96
- Central 86
- Pewsey 71
West Midlands
Yorkshire and The Humber
Caveats
- An energy certificate describes a home when it was assessed; later work (a new heat pump, panels, insulation or windows) is missing until a new certificate is lodged.
- 6,142 of the 6,655 conservation areas with a page contain at least one listed building; for a listed building the national rules above do not give permitted development rights for heat pumps or solar panels, and works need listed building consent.
- Boundaries and Article 4 directions: councils via planning.data.gov.uk. Homes are placed by the coordinates of their address (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.
Other guides: Solar panels · External wall insulation · Replacement windows · Am I in a conservation area? · All rules and all conservation areas