Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in Lee Manor conservation area
In the Lee Manor conservation area (Lewisham), 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 Lewisham 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 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. 696 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 85.6% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 98.6% heat with a gas boiler and 73.6% are rated D–G; 2 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
696homes with an energy certificate
85.6%solid walls, no insulation
98.6%heated by a gas boiler
2heat pumps
Article 4: An Article 4 direction published by Lewisham 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. (Lee Manor Article 4(2) Direction; Small HMO Northern Extension)
What needs planning permission in Lee Manor
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*: 1). 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: 43% 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 = 696)
Walls
Homes
Share
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
596
85.6%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
38
5.5%
Cavity wall, unfilled
23
3.3%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
11
1.6%
Solid wall, internal insulation
9
1.3%
Timber frame
7
1.0%
Solid wall, insulated
5
0.7%
Cavity wall, filled
3
0.4%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
2
0.3%
Other or not known
1
0.1%
Solid wall, partly insulated
1
0.1%
Heating
Homes
Share
Gas boiler
686
98.6%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
8
1.1%
Heat pump
2
0.3%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
168
24.1%
Under 200 mm
193
27.7%
200 mm or more
102
14.7%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
73
10.5%
Flat or other home above
150
21.6%
Other
10
1.4%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
540
77.6%
Single glazed
147
21.1%
Secondary glazing
7
1.0%
Triple glazed
2
0.3%
CDE
Energy rating: A 2 (0.3%) · B 8 (1.1%) · C 174 (25.0%) · D 352 (50.6%) · E 138 (19.8%) · F 22 (3.2%). Houses and bungalows: 57% of the homes; solar panels on 0.6% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: 1900-1929. Designated: 1 January 1975.
Compared with Lewisham and England
Share of homes
Lee Manor
All 31 areas in Lewisham
England
Solid walls, no insulation
85.6%
69.0%
48.7%
Gas boiler
98.6%
85.5%
66.4%
Rated D–G
73.6%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 58% of these are from 2020 or later (latest 13 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 Lewisham if in doubt.
Boundary: London Borough of Lewisham via planning.data.gov.uk (entity 44014973, reference LEWCA9, 35.5 ha); the council's appraisal or map. Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.