Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in Princes Road conservation area
In the Princes Road 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. 553 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 70.9% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 75.8% heat with a gas boiler and 39.1% 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
553homes with an energy certificate
70.9%solid walls, no insulation
75.8%heated by a gas boiler
0heat 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. (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 Princes 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), 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 (grade I: 1, 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: 93% 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 = 553)
Walls
Homes
Share
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
392
70.9%
Cavity wall, filled
50
9.0%
Solid wall, internal insulation
35
6.3%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
30
5.4%
Cavity wall, unfilled
15
2.7%
Timber frame
15
2.7%
Solid wall, insulated
9
1.6%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
3
0.5%
Solid wall, partly insulated
3
0.5%
Other or not known
1
0.2%
Heating
Homes
Share
Gas boiler
419
75.8%
Communal heating
86
15.6%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
48
8.7%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
46
8.3%
Under 200 mm
49
8.9%
200 mm or more
51
9.2%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
38
6.9%
Flat or other home above
369
66.7%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
398
72.0%
Single glazed
146
26.4%
Secondary glazing
8
1.4%
Triple glazed
1
0.2%
CD
Energy rating: B 5 (0.9%) · C 332 (60.0%) · D 173 (31.3%) · E 39 (7.1%) · F 1 (0.2%) · G 3 (0.5%). Houses and bungalows: 7% of the homes; solar panels on 0.0% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: before 1900. Designated: 24 April 1996.
Compared with Liverpool and England
Share of homes
Princes Road
All 37 areas in Liverpool
England
Solid walls, no insulation
70.9%
41.6%
48.7%
Gas boiler
75.8%
53.3%
66.4%
Rated D–G
39.1%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 66% of these are from 2020 or later (latest 20 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 44014308, reference CA024, 10.8 ha). Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.