Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in Forest South East conservation area
In the Forest South 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 the published data does not say which rights it removes — check the direction before any work. The area has 53 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. 621 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 18.4% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 45.7% heat with a gas boiler and 72.9% are rated D–G; 42 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
621homes with an energy certificate
18.4%solid walls, no insulation
45.7%heated by a gas boiler
42heat pumps
Article 4: An Article 4 direction published by New Forest National Park Authority covers this area, but the published data does not say which rights it removes — check the direction before any work. (ARTICLE 4 DIRECTION 97/1; ARTICLE 4 DIRECTION NP NEW FOREST CAMPSITE; ARTICLE 4 DIRECTION NP NEW FOREST RECREATIONAL CAMPSITE; Hovercraft in the Solent; New Forest National Park Boundary)
What needs planning permission in Forest South 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), 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: 53 in the area (grade I: 0, II*: 5). 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: 2% 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 = 621)
Walls
Homes
Share
Cavity wall, filled
210
33.8%
Cavity wall, unfilled
129
20.8%
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
114
18.4%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
59
9.5%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
39
6.3%
Solid wall, internal insulation
17
2.7%
Timber frame
16
2.6%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
15
2.4%
Other or not known
9
1.4%
Cavity wall, internal or external insulation
8
1.3%
Solid wall, external insulation
2
0.3%
Solid wall, partly insulated
2
0.3%
Solid wall, insulated
1
0.2%
Heating
Homes
Share
Gas boiler
284
45.7%
Oil
186
30.0%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
47
7.6%
LPG
45
7.2%
Heat pump
42
6.8%
Solid fuel (wood, coal)
16
2.6%
Communal heating
1
0.2%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
75
12.1%
Under 200 mm
160
25.8%
200 mm or more
222
35.7%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
106
17.1%
Flat or other home above
3
0.5%
Other
55
8.9%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
570
91.8%
Single glazed
38
6.1%
Secondary glazing
10
1.6%
Triple glazed
3
0.5%
CDEF
Energy rating: A 4 (0.6%) · B 38 (6.1%) · C 126 (20.3%) · D 208 (33.5%) · E 171 (27.5%) · F 56 (9.0%) · G 18 (2.9%). Houses and bungalows: 97% of the homes; solar panels on 1.4% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: before 1900. Designated: 24 January 2008.
Compared with New Forest National Park Authority and England
Share of homes
Forest South East
All 26 areas in New Forest National Park Authority
England
Solid walls, no insulation
18.4%
18.8%
48.7%
Gas boiler
45.7%
55.2%
66.4%
Rated D–G
72.9%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 52% of these are from 2020 or later (latest 28 September 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 44005386, reference CONA17, 1,424.8 ha); the council's appraisal or map. Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.