Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in Newsham Park conservation area
In the Newsham Park conservation area (Liverpool), 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 Liverpool covers this area, but the published data does not say which rights it removes — check the direction before any work. The area has 8 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. 716 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 56.7% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 74.7% heat with a gas boiler and 52.2% 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
716homes with an energy certificate
56.7%solid walls, no insulation
74.7%heated by a gas boiler
2heat pumps
Article 4: An Article 4 direction published by Liverpool covers this area, but the published data does not say which rights it removes — check the direction before any work. (1 Belmont Drive, Liverpool , L6 7UW; The Liverpool (Anfield, Central, Greenbank, Kensington and Fairfield, Picton, Princess Park, Riverside, Tuebrook and Stoneycroft and Wavertree wards and parts of Kirkdale and Church wards) (Article 4(1)) Direction 2020)
What needs planning permission in Newsham Park
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), unless an Article 4 direction removes it — check with the council
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), unless an Article 4 direction removes it — check with the council
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)
Prior approval of appearance from the council, unless an Article 4 direction removes it — check with the council
Replacement windows and doors of similar appearance
No permission needed (permitted development), unless an Article 4 direction removes it — check with the council
Part 1 Class A, A.3(a)
Listed buildings: 8 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: 77% 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 = 716)
Walls
Homes
Share
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
406
56.7%
Solid wall, internal insulation
109
15.2%
Cavity wall, unfilled
46
6.4%
Timber frame
42
5.9%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
34
4.7%
Cavity wall, filled
29
4.1%
Solid wall, insulated
16
2.2%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
13
1.8%
Cavity wall, internal or external insulation
9
1.3%
Solid wall, external insulation
6
0.8%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
4
0.6%
Other or not known
1
0.1%
Solid wall, partly insulated
1
0.1%
Heating
Homes
Share
Gas boiler
535
74.7%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
155
21.6%
Communal heating
23
3.2%
Heat pump
2
0.3%
Solid fuel (wood, coal)
1
0.1%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
103
14.4%
Under 200 mm
59
8.2%
200 mm or more
116
16.2%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
48
6.7%
Flat or other home above
385
53.8%
Other
5
0.7%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
633
88.4%
Single glazed
79
11.0%
Secondary glazing
3
0.4%
Triple glazed
1
0.1%
CDE
Energy rating: B 23 (3.2%) · C 319 (44.6%) · D 242 (33.8%) · E 93 (13.0%) · F 19 (2.7%) · G 20 (2.8%). Houses and bungalows: 23% of the homes; solar panels on 0.1% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: 1900-1929. Designated: 3 March 1982.
Compared with Liverpool and England
Share of homes
Newsham Park
All 37 areas in Liverpool
England
Solid walls, no insulation
56.7%
41.6%
48.7%
Gas boiler
74.7%
53.3%
66.4%
Rated D–G
52.2%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 63% of these are from 2020 or later (latest 28 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 Liverpool if in doubt.
Boundary: Liverpool City Council via planning.data.gov.uk (entity 44014307, reference CA021, 73.6 ha). Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.