Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in Railway Street, Gillingham conservation area
In the Railway Street, Gillingham conservation area (Medway), 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 Medway covers this area, but the published data does not say which rights it removes — check the direction before any work. 80 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 25% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 71% heat with a gas boiler and 40% 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
80homes with an energy certificate
25%solid walls, no insulation
71%heated by a gas boiler
0heat pumps
Article 4: An Article 4 direction published by Medway covers this area, but the published data does not say which rights it removes — check the direction before any work. (Gillingham South)
What needs planning permission in Railway Street, Gillingham
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: none recorded inside the boundary; on a listed building, solar panels and heat pumps are not permitted development and need 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 = 80)
Walls
Homes
Share
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
20
25%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
13
16%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
12
15%
Cavity wall, unfilled
11
14%
Cavity wall, filled
10
12%
Timber frame
8
10%
Cavity wall, internal or external insulation
5
6%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
1
1%
Heating
Homes
Share
Gas boiler
57
71%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
22
28%
Oil
1
1%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
7
9%
Under 200 mm
3
4%
200 mm or more
8
10%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
15
19%
Flat or other home above
40
50%
Other
7
9%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
79
99%
Secondary glazing
1
1%
BCDE
Energy rating: A 1 (1%) · B 7 (9%) · C 40 (50%) · D 21 (26%) · E 8 (10%) · F 2 (2%) · G 1 (1%). Houses and bungalows: 22% of the homes; solar panels on 0% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: 1930-1949. Designated: 8 March 1989.
Compared with Medway and England
Share of homes
Railway Street, Gillingham
All 24 areas in Medway
England
Solid walls, no insulation
25%
35.9%
48.7%
Gas boiler
71%
69.7%
66.4%
Rated D–G
40%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 65% of these are from 2020 or later (latest 29 March 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 Medway if in doubt.
Boundary: Medway Council via planning.data.gov.uk (entity 44009811, reference 14, 0.9 ha). Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.