Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in Old Town conservation area
In the Old Town conservation area (Hull), 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 165 listed buildings; on a listed building solar panels and heat pumps are not permitted development at all and need planning permission and listed building consent. 1,495 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 18.5% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 35.3% heat with a gas boiler and 41.5% are rated D–G; 14 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
1,495homes with an energy certificate
18.5%solid walls, no insulation
35.3%heated by a gas boiler
14heat pumps
Article 4: Hull does not publish Article 4 areas on planning.data.gov.uk — check with the council.
What needs planning permission in Old Town
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: 165 in the area (grade I: 5, II*: 11). 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: 93% 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 = 1,495)
Walls
Homes
Share
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
344
23.0%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
334
22.3%
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
277
18.5%
Cavity wall, filled
162
10.8%
Solid wall, internal insulation
131
8.8%
Solid wall, insulated
61
4.1%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
54
3.6%
Cavity wall, unfilled
43
2.9%
Solid wall, external insulation
32
2.1%
Solid wall, partly insulated
23
1.5%
Timber frame
19
1.3%
Other or not known
14
0.9%
Cavity wall, internal or external insulation
1
0.1%
Heating
Homes
Share
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
925
61.9%
Gas boiler
527
35.3%
Communal heating
19
1.3%
Heat pump
14
0.9%
Other
9
0.6%
Solid fuel (wood, coal)
1
0.1%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
46
3.1%
Under 200 mm
125
8.4%
200 mm or more
143
9.6%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
104
7.0%
Flat or other home above
901
60.3%
Other
176
11.8%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
1,148
76.8%
Single glazed
227
15.2%
Secondary glazing
120
8.0%
BCDE
Energy rating: B 199 (13.3%) · C 675 (45.2%) · D 419 (28.0%) · E 185 (12.4%) · F 13 (0.9%) · G 4 (0.3%). Houses and bungalows: 7% of the homes; solar panels on 0.0% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: 1983-1990. Designated: 1 January 1973.
Compared with Hull and England
Share of homes
Old Town
All 26 areas in Hull
England
Solid walls, no insulation
18.5%
50.5%
48.7%
Gas boiler
35.3%
66.8%
66.4%
Rated D–G
41.5%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 57% of these are from 2020 or later (latest 29 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 Hull if in doubt.
Boundary: Hull City Council via planning.data.gov.uk (entity 44014624, reference CA17, 54.2 ha); the council's appraisal or map. Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.