Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in Stoneygate conservation area
In the Stoneygate 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), chimneys, flues and soil pipes, painting the outside, so there these need planning permission too. The area has 13 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. 2,114 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 45.1% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 63.6% heat with a gas boiler and 60.1% are rated D–G; 18 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
2,114homes with an energy certificate
45.1%solid walls, no insulation
63.6%heated by a gas boiler
18heat 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), chimneys, flues and soil pipes, painting the outside, so there these need planning permission too. (Houses in Multiple Occupation - 2013; Leicester City Council HMO Article 4 Direction 2021; Stoneygate Conservation Area)
What needs planning permission in Stoneygate
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: 13 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: 76% 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 = 2,114)
Walls
Homes
Share
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
954
45.1%
Cavity wall, filled
247
11.7%
Cavity wall, unfilled
231
10.9%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
226
10.7%
Solid wall, internal insulation
128
6.1%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
74
3.5%
Timber frame
70
3.3%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
64
3.0%
Solid wall, insulated
57
2.7%
Other or not known
39
1.8%
Solid wall, external insulation
15
0.7%
Solid wall, partly insulated
6
0.3%
Cavity wall, internal or external insulation
3
0.1%
Heating
Homes
Share
Gas boiler
1,345
63.6%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
638
30.2%
Communal heating
109
5.2%
Heat pump
18
0.9%
LPG
3
0.1%
Solid fuel (wood, coal)
1
0.0%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
213
10.1%
Under 200 mm
236
11.2%
200 mm or more
355
16.8%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
242
11.5%
Flat or other home above
1,015
48.0%
Other
52
2.5%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
1,637
77.4%
Single glazed
402
19.0%
Secondary glazing
72
3.4%
Triple glazed
3
0.1%
CDE
Energy rating: A 4 (0.2%) · B 54 (2.6%) · C 785 (37.1%) · D 712 (33.7%) · E 474 (22.4%) · F 73 (3.5%) · G 12 (0.6%). Houses and bungalows: 24% of the homes; solar panels on 0.3% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: 1900-1929. Designated: 28 September 1978.
Compared with Leicester and England
Share of homes
Stoneygate
All 25 areas in Leicester
England
Solid walls, no insulation
45.1%
43.4%
48.7%
Gas boiler
63.6%
45.7%
66.4%
Rated D–G
60.1%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 55% 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 Leicester if in doubt.
Boundary: Leicester City Council via planning.data.gov.uk (entity 44012356, reference ST_v4, 93.4 ha); the council's appraisal or map. Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.