Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in Toxteth Park & Avenues conservation area
In the Toxteth Park & Avenues 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 15 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. 912 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 74.3% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 89.4% heat with a gas boiler and 57.8% 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
912homes with an energy certificate
74.3%solid walls, no insulation
89.4%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. (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 Toxteth Park & Avenues
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: 15 in the area (grade I: 1, II*: 0). 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: 64% 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 = 912)
Walls
Homes
Share
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
678
74.3%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
61
6.7%
Solid wall, internal insulation
61
6.7%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
23
2.5%
Cavity wall, unfilled
22
2.4%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
18
2.0%
Cavity wall, filled
16
1.8%
Other or not known
12
1.3%
Timber frame
11
1.2%
Solid wall, insulated
6
0.7%
Solid wall, external insulation
2
0.2%
Cavity wall, internal or external insulation
1
0.1%
Solid wall, partly insulated
1
0.1%
Heating
Homes
Share
Gas boiler
815
89.4%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
63
6.9%
Communal heating
31
3.4%
Heat pump
2
0.2%
Solid fuel (wood, coal)
1
0.1%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
156
17.1%
Under 200 mm
93
10.2%
200 mm or more
203
22.3%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
64
7.0%
Flat or other home above
374
41.0%
Other
22
2.4%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
803
88.0%
Single glazed
107
11.7%
Secondary glazing
2
0.2%
CDE
Energy rating: A 1 (0.1%) · B 47 (5.2%) · C 337 (37.0%) · D 349 (38.3%) · E 135 (14.8%) · F 28 (3.1%) · G 15 (1.6%). Houses and bungalows: 36% of the homes; solar panels on 0.7% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: 1900-1929. Designated: 29 April 2005.
Compared with Liverpool and England
Share of homes
Toxteth Park & Avenues
All 37 areas in Liverpool
England
Solid walls, no insulation
74.3%
41.6%
48.7%
Gas boiler
89.4%
53.3%
66.4%
Rated D–G
57.8%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 59% 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 44014339, reference CA030, 39.5 ha). Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.