Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in Morecambe conservation area
In the Morecambe conservation area (Lancaster), 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 Lancaster covers part of this area (about 2% of it) 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 27 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. 790 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 68.1% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 70.8% heat with a gas boiler and 70.4% are rated D–G; 1 has 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
790homes with an energy certificate
68.1%solid walls, no insulation
70.8%heated by a gas boiler
1heat pumps
Article 4: An Article 4 direction published by Lancaster covers part of this area (about 2% of it) 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. (Morecambe)
What needs planning permission in Morecambe
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
Inside the Article 4 part of the area: planning permission needed; elsewhere: no permission needed (permitted development)
Part 1 Class A, A.3(a)
Listed buildings: 27 in the area (grade I: 0, II*: 2). 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: 56% 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 = 790)
Walls
Homes
Share
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
538
68.1%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
79
10.0%
Solid wall, internal insulation
79
10.0%
Cavity wall, unfilled
36
4.6%
Timber frame
34
4.3%
Cavity wall, internal or external insulation
8
1.0%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
6
0.8%
Solid wall, insulated
4
0.5%
Cavity wall, filled
2
0.3%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
2
0.3%
Solid wall, external insulation
2
0.3%
Heating
Homes
Share
Gas boiler
559
70.8%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
177
22.4%
Communal heating
51
6.5%
Solid fuel (wood, coal)
2
0.3%
Heat pump
1
0.1%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
194
24.6%
Under 200 mm
118
14.9%
200 mm or more
136
17.2%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
95
12.0%
Flat or other home above
244
30.9%
Other
3
0.4%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
756
95.7%
Single glazed
22
2.8%
Secondary glazing
12
1.5%
CDE
Energy rating: B 14 (1.8%) · C 220 (27.8%) · D 346 (43.8%) · E 161 (20.4%) · F 30 (3.8%) · G 19 (2.4%). Houses and bungalows: 44% of the homes; solar panels on 0.5% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: before 1900. Designated: 1 January 1991.
Compared with Lancaster and England
Share of homes
Morecambe
All 38 areas in Lancaster
England
Solid walls, no insulation
68.1%
51.5%
48.7%
Gas boiler
70.8%
67.5%
66.4%
Rated D–G
70.4%
—
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 Lancaster if in doubt.
Boundary: Lancaster City Council via planning.data.gov.uk (entity 44016583, reference 1397, 32.3 ha); the council's appraisal or map. Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.