Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in New River conservation area
In the New River conservation area (Islington), 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 128 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. 2,153 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 69.2% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 73.9% heat with a gas boiler and 49.5% are rated D–G; 5 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
2,153homes with an energy certificate
69.2%solid walls, no insulation
73.9%heated by a gas boiler
5heat pumps
Article 4: Islington does not publish Article 4 areas on planning.data.gov.uk — check with the council.
What needs planning permission in New River
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: 128 in the area (grade I: 0, II*: 5). 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: 90% 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 = 2,153)
Walls
Homes
Share
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
1,490
69.2%
Other or not known
142
6.6%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
127
5.9%
Cavity wall, unfilled
121
5.6%
Cavity wall, filled
94
4.4%
Solid wall, insulated
53
2.5%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
34
1.6%
Solid wall, internal insulation
32
1.5%
Timber frame
21
1.0%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
15
0.7%
Solid wall, partly insulated
14
0.7%
Solid wall, external insulation
9
0.4%
Heating
Homes
Share
Gas boiler
1,592
73.9%
Communal heating
364
16.9%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
192
8.9%
Heat pump
5
0.2%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
309
14.4%
Under 200 mm
154
7.2%
200 mm or more
60
2.8%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
194
9.0%
Flat or other home above
1,405
65.3%
Other
31
1.4%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
1,112
51.6%
Single glazed
929
43.1%
Secondary glazing
107
5.0%
Triple glazed
5
0.2%
CD
Energy rating: B 76 (3.5%) · C 1,012 (47.0%) · D 863 (40.1%) · E 164 (7.6%) · F 27 (1.3%) · G 11 (0.5%). Houses and bungalows: 10% of the homes; solar panels on 0.0% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: before 1900.
Compared with Islington and England
Share of homes
New River
All 41 areas in Islington
England
Solid walls, no insulation
69.2%
67.1%
48.7%
Gas boiler
73.9%
79.1%
66.4%
Rated D–G
49.5%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 62% 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 Islington if in doubt.
Boundary: London Borough of Islington via planning.data.gov.uk (entity 44008972, reference 181_ISL_CA2, 36.2 ha); the council's appraisal or map. Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.