Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in Albert Park, West Didsbury conservation area
In the Albert Park, West Didsbury conservation area (Manchester), 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 5 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. 2,002 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 51.0% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 88.1% heat with a gas boiler and 55.5% are rated D–G; 9 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
2,002homes with an energy certificate
51.0%solid walls, no insulation
88.1%heated by a gas boiler
9heat pumps
Article 4: Manchester does not publish Article 4 areas on planning.data.gov.uk — check with the council.
What needs planning permission in Albert Park, West Didsbury
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: 5 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: 73% 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 = 2,002)
Walls
Homes
Share
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
1,022
51.0%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
231
11.5%
Cavity wall, unfilled
210
10.5%
Cavity wall, filled
196
9.8%
Timber frame
115
5.7%
Solid wall, internal insulation
78
3.9%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
51
2.5%
Solid wall, insulated
42
2.1%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
27
1.3%
Other or not known
21
1.0%
Cavity wall, internal or external insulation
3
0.1%
Solid wall, external insulation
3
0.1%
Solid wall, partly insulated
3
0.1%
Heating
Homes
Share
Gas boiler
1,764
88.1%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
190
9.5%
Communal heating
37
1.8%
Heat pump
9
0.4%
LPG
1
0.0%
Solid fuel (wood, coal)
1
0.0%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
335
16.7%
Under 200 mm
234
11.7%
200 mm or more
244
12.2%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
217
10.8%
Flat or other home above
934
46.7%
Other
38
1.9%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
1,893
94.6%
Single glazed
109
5.4%
CDE
Energy rating: A 1 (0.0%) · B 49 (2.4%) · C 841 (42.0%) · D 814 (40.7%) · E 275 (13.7%) · F 21 (1.0%) · G 1 (0.0%). Houses and bungalows: 27% of the homes; solar panels on 0.4% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: 1900-1929. Designated: 1 March 1988.
Compared with Manchester and England
Share of homes
Albert Park, West Didsbury
All 34 areas in Manchester
England
Solid walls, no insulation
51.0%
22.3%
48.7%
Gas boiler
88.1%
37.1%
66.4%
Rated D–G
55.5%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 54% of these are from 2020 or later (latest 31 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 Manchester if in doubt.
Boundary: Manchester City Council via planning.data.gov.uk (entity 44004013, reference 506, 38.9 ha); the council's appraisal or map. Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.