Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in Central conservation area
In the Central conservation area (Ipswich), 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. An Article 4 direction published by Ipswich covers this area and removes permitted development rights for replacement windows and doors, and other alterations to the house, alterations to the roof (e.g. rooflights), chimneys, flues and soil pipes, painting the outside, so there these need planning permission too. The area has 305 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. 1,576 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 34.4% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 36.4% heat with a gas boiler and 48.7% are rated D–G; 7 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
1,576homes with an energy certificate
34.4%solid walls, no insulation
36.4%heated by a gas boiler
7heat pumps
Article 4: An Article 4 direction published by Ipswich covers this area and removes permitted development rights for replacement windows and doors, and other alterations to the house, alterations to the roof (e.g. rooflights), chimneys, flues and soil pipes, painting the outside, so there these need planning permission too. (Article 4 Direction for Small HMOs; Central Conservation Area Article 4 Direction (1-51 Bolton Lane); The Walk Article 4 Direction; The Walk/Thoroughfare Article 4 Direction)
What needs planning permission in Central
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
Solar panels on a pitched roof (up to 0.2 m proud, not above the ridge)
No permission needed (permitted development)
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)
Replacement windows and doors of similar appearance
Planning permission needed (an Article 4 direction here removes this right)
Part 1 Class A, A.3(a)
Listed buildings: 305 in the area (grade I: 10, II*: 24). 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: 88% 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 = 1,576)
Walls
Homes
Share
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
542
34.4%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
358
22.7%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
246
15.6%
Cavity wall, filled
92
5.8%
Timber frame
88
5.6%
Solid wall, internal insulation
68
4.3%
Solid wall, insulated
54
3.4%
Cavity wall, unfilled
53
3.4%
Other or not known
46
2.9%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
15
1.0%
Cavity wall, internal or external insulation
12
0.8%
Solid wall, external insulation
1
0.1%
Solid wall, partly insulated
1
0.1%
Heating
Homes
Share
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
969
61.5%
Gas boiler
574
36.4%
Communal heating
24
1.5%
Heat pump
7
0.4%
LPG
1
0.1%
Solid fuel (wood, coal)
1
0.1%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
129
8.2%
Under 200 mm
120
7.6%
200 mm or more
181
11.5%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
169
10.7%
Flat or other home above
806
51.1%
Other
171
10.9%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
1,177
74.7%
Single glazed
293
18.6%
Secondary glazing
98
6.2%
Triple glazed
8
0.5%
BCDE
Energy rating: A 1 (0.1%) · B 145 (9.2%) · C 662 (42.0%) · D 473 (30.0%) · E 246 (15.6%) · F 28 (1.8%) · G 21 (1.3%). Houses and bungalows: 12% of the homes; solar panels on 0.1% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: before 1900. Designated: 23 September 2003.
Compared with Ipswich and England
Share of homes
Central
All 15 areas in Ipswich
England
Solid walls, no insulation
34.4%
39.4%
48.7%
Gas boiler
36.4%
42.5%
66.4%
Rated D–G
48.7%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 65% 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 Ipswich if in doubt.
Boundary: Ipswich Borough Council via planning.data.gov.uk (entity 44015756, reference CA01, 49.2 ha). Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.