Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in Crowle conservation area
In the Crowle conservation area (North Lincolnshire), 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 North Lincolnshire covers this area and removes permitted development rights for replacement windows and doors, and other alterations to the house, alterations to the roof (e.g. rooflights), painting the outside, so there these need planning permission too. The area has 14 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. 172 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 54.7% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 79.1% heat with a gas boiler and 58.1% 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
172homes with an energy certificate
54.7%solid walls, no insulation
79.1%heated by a gas boiler
0heat pumps
Article 4: An Article 4 direction published by North Lincolnshire covers this area and removes permitted development rights for replacement windows and doors, and other alterations to the house, alterations to the roof (e.g. rooflights), painting the outside, so there these need planning permission too. (Crowle)
What needs planning permission in Crowle
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
Planning permission needed (an Article 4 direction here removes this right)
Part 1 Class A, A.3(a)
Listed buildings: 14 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: 16% 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 = 172)
Walls
Homes
Share
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
94
54.7%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
28
16.3%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
26
15.1%
Solid wall, internal insulation
9
5.2%
Cavity wall, filled
6
3.5%
Solid wall, insulated
6
3.5%
Cavity wall, unfilled
3
1.7%
Heating
Homes
Share
Gas boiler
136
79.1%
Oil
15
8.7%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
14
8.1%
Solid fuel (wood, coal)
6
3.5%
Communal heating
1
0.6%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
22
12.8%
Under 200 mm
23
13.4%
200 mm or more
68
39.5%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
30
17.4%
Flat or other home above
3
1.7%
Other
26
15.1%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
156
90.7%
Single glazed
13
7.6%
Secondary glazing
3
1.7%
BCDE
Energy rating: B 20 (11.6%) · C 52 (30.2%) · D 55 (32.0%) · E 31 (18.0%) · F 11 (6.4%) · G 3 (1.7%). Houses and bungalows: 84% of the homes; solar panels on 0.0% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: before 1900. Designated: 1 January 1989.
Compared with North Lincolnshire and England
Share of homes
Crowle
All 17 areas in North Lincolnshire
England
Solid walls, no insulation
54.7%
56.5%
48.7%
Gas boiler
79.1%
80.7%
66.4%
Rated D–G
58.1%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 50% of these are from 2020 or later (latest 21 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 North Lincolnshire if in doubt.
Boundary: North Lincolnshire Council via planning.data.gov.uk (entity 44001416, reference DLS1925, 12.0 ha); the council's appraisal or map. Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.