Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in Forest North East conservation area
In the Forest North East conservation area (New Forest National Park Authority), 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 New Forest National Park Authority covers this area but deals with other things (such as changes of use); it does not change the rules below. The area has 18 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. 319 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 14.7% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 58.3% heat with a gas boiler and 78.4% are rated D–G; 17 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
319homes with an energy certificate
14.7%solid walls, no insulation
58.3%heated by a gas boiler
17heat pumps
Article 4: An Article 4 direction published by New Forest National Park Authority covers this area but deals with other things (such as changes of use); it does not change the rules below. (263 Woodlands Road; ARTICLE 4 DIRECTION NP NEW FOREST CAMPSITE; ARTICLE 4 DIRECTION NP NEW FOREST RECREATIONAL CAMPSITE; Land South of A336 Ringwood Road; New Forest National Park Boundary)
What needs planning permission in Forest North East
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
No permission needed (permitted development)
Part 1 Class A, A.3(a)
Listed buildings: 18 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: 3% 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 = 319)
Walls
Homes
Share
Cavity wall, filled
112
35.1%
Cavity wall, unfilled
85
26.6%
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
47
14.7%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
34
10.7%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
13
4.1%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
11
3.4%
Timber frame
6
1.9%
Cavity wall, internal or external insulation
3
0.9%
Solid wall, internal insulation
3
0.9%
Other or not known
2
0.6%
Solid wall, insulated
2
0.6%
Solid wall, partly insulated
1
0.3%
Heating
Homes
Share
Gas boiler
186
58.3%
Oil
78
24.5%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
21
6.6%
Heat pump
17
5.3%
LPG
9
2.8%
Solid fuel (wood, coal)
6
1.9%
Communal heating
2
0.6%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
36
11.3%
Under 200 mm
109
34.2%
200 mm or more
106
33.2%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
45
14.1%
Flat or other home above
4
1.3%
Other
19
6.0%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
291
91.2%
Single glazed
20
6.3%
Secondary glazing
7
2.2%
Other
1
0.3%
CDEF
Energy rating: A 1 (0.3%) · B 15 (4.7%) · C 53 (16.6%) · D 131 (41.1%) · E 82 (25.7%) · F 33 (10.3%) · G 4 (1.3%). Houses and bungalows: 97% of the homes; solar panels on 2.8% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: 1900-1929. Designated: 26 March 2008.
Compared with New Forest National Park Authority and England
Share of homes
Forest North East
All 26 areas in New Forest National Park Authority
England
Solid walls, no insulation
14.7%
18.8%
48.7%
Gas boiler
58.3%
55.2%
66.4%
Rated D–G
78.4%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 45% of these are from 2020 or later (latest 9 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 New Forest National Park Authority if in doubt.
Boundary: New Forest National Park Authority via planning.data.gov.uk (entity 44005385, reference CONA18, 864.0 ha); the council's appraisal or map. Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.