Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in West End conservation area
In the West End 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. The area has 3 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. 655 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 78.0% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 59.5% heat with a gas boiler and 75.9% 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
655homes with an energy certificate
78.0%solid walls, no insulation
59.5%heated by a gas boiler
1heat 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. (Houses in Multiple Occupation - 2013; Leicester City Council HMO Article 4 Direction 2021; West End Conservation Area)
What needs planning permission in West End
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: 3 in the area. 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: 69% 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 = 655)
Walls
Homes
Share
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
511
78.0%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
44
6.7%
Solid wall, internal insulation
31
4.7%
Timber frame
30
4.6%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
19
2.9%
Solid wall, insulated
11
1.7%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
4
0.6%
Cavity wall, filled
2
0.3%
Cavity wall, unfilled
2
0.3%
Solid wall, partly insulated
1
0.2%
Heating
Homes
Share
Gas boiler
390
59.5%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
229
35.0%
Communal heating
34
5.2%
Heat pump
1
0.2%
Solid fuel (wood, coal)
1
0.2%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
104
15.9%
Under 200 mm
106
16.2%
200 mm or more
120
18.3%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
36
5.5%
Flat or other home above
261
39.8%
Other
28
4.3%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
526
80.3%
Single glazed
109
16.6%
Secondary glazing
19
2.9%
Triple glazed
1
0.2%
CDE
Energy rating: B 23 (3.5%) · C 135 (20.6%) · D 305 (46.6%) · E 176 (26.9%) · F 11 (1.7%) · G 5 (0.8%). Houses and bungalows: 31% of the homes; solar panels on 0.3% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: 1900-1929. Designated: 2 October 2008.
Compared with Leicester and England
Share of homes
West End
All 25 areas in Leicester
England
Solid walls, no insulation
78.0%
43.4%
48.7%
Gas boiler
59.5%
45.7%
66.4%
Rated D–G
75.9%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 54% of these are from 2020 or later (latest 9 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 44012368, reference WD_v2, 12.8 ha); the council's appraisal or map. Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.