Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in Barbican and Golden Lane conservation area
In the Barbican and Golden Lane conservation area (London Corporation), 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. 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. 1,481 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 5.1% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 22.3% heat with a gas boiler and 60.9% 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
1,481homes with an energy certificate
5.1%solid walls, no insulation
22.3%heated by a gas boiler
2heat pumps
Article 4: London Corporation does not publish Article 4 areas on planning.data.gov.uk — check with the council.
What needs planning permission in Barbican and Golden Lane
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*: 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: 99% 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 = 1,481)
Walls
Homes
Share
Other or not known
1,227
82.8%
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
75
5.1%
Cavity wall, internal or external insulation
73
4.9%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
38
2.6%
Cavity wall, unfilled
37
2.5%
Solid wall, partly insulated
10
0.7%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
6
0.4%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
5
0.3%
Timber frame
5
0.3%
Cavity wall, filled
2
0.1%
Solid wall, insulated
2
0.1%
Solid wall, internal insulation
1
0.1%
Heating
Homes
Share
Communal heating
738
49.8%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
411
27.8%
Gas boiler
330
22.3%
Heat pump
2
0.1%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
88
5.9%
200 mm or more
1
0.1%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
147
9.9%
Flat or other home above
1,209
81.6%
Other
36
2.4%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
988
66.7%
Single glazed
473
31.9%
Secondary glazing
18
1.2%
Triple glazed
2
0.1%
CDE
Energy rating: B 53 (3.6%) · C 526 (35.5%) · D 599 (40.4%) · E 241 (16.3%) · F 36 (2.4%) · G 26 (1.8%). Houses and bungalows: 1% of the homes; solar panels on 0.0% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: 1967-1975. Designated: 31 October 2018.
Compared with London Corporation and England
Share of homes
Barbican and Golden Lane
All 28 areas in London Corporation
England
Solid walls, no insulation
5.1%
25.6%
48.7%
Gas boiler
22.3%
21.6%
66.4%
Rated D–G
60.9%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 53% of these are from 2020 or later (latest 27 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 London Corporation if in doubt.
Boundary: City of London Corporation via planning.data.gov.uk (entity 44002503, reference 1, 15.0 ha); the council's appraisal or map. Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.