Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in Ashleigh Road conservation area
In the Ashleigh Road conservation area (Leicester), 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 Leicester 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), painting the outside, so there these need planning permission too. 240 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 53.8% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 30.0% heat with a gas boiler and 64.2% are rated D–G; 0 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
240homes with an energy certificate
53.8%solid walls, no insulation
30.0%heated by a gas boiler
0heat pumps
Article 4: An Article 4 direction published by Leicester 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), painting the outside, so there these need planning permission too. (Ashleigh Road Conservation Area; Houses in Multiple Occupation - 2013)
What needs planning permission in Ashleigh Road
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: none recorded inside the boundary; on a listed building, solar panels and heat pumps are not permitted development and need listed building consent.
Flats: 85% 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 = 240)
Walls
Homes
Share
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
129
53.8%
Solid wall, internal insulation
47
19.6%
Cavity wall, filled
30
12.5%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
11
4.6%
Timber frame
7
2.9%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
6
2.5%
Cavity wall, internal or external insulation
5
2.1%
Cavity wall, unfilled
3
1.2%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
2
0.8%
Heating
Homes
Share
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
154
64.2%
Gas boiler
72
30.0%
Communal heating
14
5.8%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
16
6.7%
Under 200 mm
36
15.0%
200 mm or more
45
18.8%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
10
4.2%
Flat or other home above
130
54.2%
Other
3
1.2%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
199
82.9%
Single glazed
36
15.0%
Secondary glazing
5
2.1%
CDE
Energy rating: B 3 (1.2%) · C 83 (34.6%) · D 92 (38.3%) · E 57 (23.8%) · F 4 (1.7%) · G 1 (0.4%). Houses and bungalows: 15% of the homes; solar panels on 0.0% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: 1900-1929. Designated: 30 November 1989.
Compared with Leicester and England
Share of homes
Ashleigh Road
All 25 areas in Leicester
England
Solid walls, no insulation
53.8%
43.4%
48.7%
Gas boiler
30.0%
45.7%
66.4%
Rated D–G
64.2%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 58% of these are from 2020 or later (latest 28 April 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 Leicester if in doubt.
Boundary: Leicester City Council via planning.data.gov.uk (entity 44012350, reference AR_v1, 3.8 ha); the council's appraisal or map. Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.