Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in Victoria Park conservation area
In the Victoria Park 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 25 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. 754 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 12.1% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 52.7% heat with a gas boiler and 35.7% are rated D–G; 31 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
754homes with an energy certificate
12.1%solid walls, no insulation
52.7%heated by a gas boiler
31heat pumps
Article 4: Manchester does not publish Article 4 areas on planning.data.gov.uk — check with the council.
What needs planning permission in Victoria Park
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: 25 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: 78% 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 = 754)
Walls
Homes
Share
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
272
36.1%
Cavity wall, filled
179
23.7%
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
91
12.1%
Cavity wall, unfilled
82
10.9%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
34
4.5%
Timber frame
29
3.8%
Solid wall, internal insulation
17
2.3%
Solid wall, partly insulated
16
2.1%
Other or not known
14
1.9%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
10
1.3%
Solid wall, insulated
10
1.3%
Heating
Homes
Share
Gas boiler
397
52.7%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
226
30.0%
Communal heating
100
13.3%
Heat pump
31
4.1%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
58
7.7%
Under 200 mm
72
9.5%
200 mm or more
94
12.5%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
139
18.4%
Flat or other home above
388
51.5%
Other
3
0.4%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
649
86.1%
Single glazed
105
13.9%
CD
Energy rating: B 16 (2.1%) · C 469 (62.2%) · D 208 (27.6%) · E 54 (7.2%) · F 4 (0.5%) · G 3 (0.4%). Houses and bungalows: 22% of the homes; solar panels on 0.1% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: 1996-2002. Designated: 1 March 1972.
Compared with Manchester and England
Share of homes
Victoria Park
All 34 areas in Manchester
England
Solid walls, no insulation
12.1%
22.3%
48.7%
Gas boiler
52.7%
37.1%
66.4%
Rated D–G
35.7%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 57% of these are from 2020 or later (latest 14 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 44004036, reference 537, 41.5 ha); the council's appraisal or map. Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.