Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in West Derby Village conservation area
In the West Derby Village 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 part of this area (about 6% of it) and removes permitted development rights for replacement windows and doors, and other alterations to the house, alterations to the roof (e.g. rooflights), chimneys, flues and soil pipes, so there these need planning permission too. The area has 21 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. 151 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 57.0% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 92.1% heat with a gas boiler and 67.5% 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
151homes with an energy certificate
57.0%solid walls, no insulation
92.1%heated by a gas boiler
0heat pumps
Article 4: An Article 4 direction published by Liverpool covers part of this area (about 6% of it) and removes permitted development rights for replacement windows and doors, and other alterations to the house, alterations to the roof (e.g. rooflights), chimneys, flues and soil pipes, so there these need planning permission too. (11d Haymans Green L12; Croxteth Park; Denehurst, Haymans Green L12; Land at rear of 7 Haymans Green, L12; Land at rear of Haymans Green, L12; Old Barracks Site, Almonds Green, L12)
What needs planning permission in West Derby Village
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
Inside the Article 4 part of the area: planning permission needed; elsewhere: no permission needed (permitted development)
Part 1 Class A, A.3(a)
Listed buildings: 21 in the area (grade I: 0, II*: 3). 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: 52% 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 = 151)
Walls
Homes
Share
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
86
57.0%
Cavity wall, filled
19
12.6%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
19
12.6%
Cavity wall, unfilled
18
11.9%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
3
2.0%
Solid wall, internal insulation
2
1.3%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
1
0.7%
Other or not known
1
0.7%
Solid wall, partly insulated
1
0.7%
Timber frame
1
0.7%
Heating
Homes
Share
Gas boiler
139
92.1%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
10
6.6%
Communal heating
1
0.7%
Solid fuel (wood, coal)
1
0.7%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
36
23.8%
Under 200 mm
36
23.8%
200 mm or more
39
25.8%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
6
4.0%
Flat or other home above
34
22.5%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
137
90.7%
Single glazed
14
9.3%
CDE
Energy rating: B 3 (2.0%) · C 46 (30.5%) · D 67 (44.4%) · E 23 (15.2%) · F 8 (5.3%) · G 4 (2.6%). Houses and bungalows: 48% of the homes; solar panels on 0.7% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: 1900-1929. Designated: 30 July 1969.
Compared with Liverpool and England
Share of homes
West Derby Village
All 37 areas in Liverpool
England
Solid walls, no insulation
57.0%
41.6%
48.7%
Gas boiler
92.1%
53.3%
66.4%
Rated D–G
67.5%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 50% of these are from 2020 or later (latest 10 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 44014325, reference CA034, 14.3 ha). Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.