Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in Cromer conservation area
In the Cromer conservation area (North Norfolk), 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 67 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. 660 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 65.0% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 65.9% heat with a gas boiler and 61.2% 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
660homes with an energy certificate
65.0%solid walls, no insulation
65.9%heated by a gas boiler
0heat pumps
Article 4: North Norfolk publishes its Article 4 areas on planning.data.gov.uk and none overlaps this area; a direction can still exist on paper, so check with the council.
What needs planning permission in Cromer
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: 67 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: 70% 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 = 660)
Walls
Homes
Share
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
429
65.0%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
100
15.2%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
45
6.8%
Solid wall, internal insulation
23
3.5%
Timber frame
21
3.2%
Solid wall, insulated
14
2.1%
Cavity wall, unfilled
12
1.8%
Cavity wall, filled
9
1.4%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
2
0.3%
Solid wall, partly insulated
2
0.3%
Cavity wall, internal or external insulation
1
0.2%
Other or not known
1
0.2%
Solid wall, external insulation
1
0.2%
Heating
Homes
Share
Gas boiler
435
65.9%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
217
32.9%
Communal heating
6
0.9%
Solid fuel (wood, coal)
2
0.3%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
81
12.3%
Under 200 mm
126
19.1%
200 mm or more
148
22.4%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
43
6.5%
Flat or other home above
230
34.8%
Other
32
4.8%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
493
74.7%
Single glazed
129
19.5%
Secondary glazing
36
5.5%
Triple glazed
2
0.3%
CDE
Energy rating: B 28 (4.2%) · C 228 (34.5%) · D 238 (36.1%) · E 126 (19.1%) · F 28 (4.2%) · G 12 (1.8%). Houses and bungalows: 30% of the homes; solar panels on 0.0% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: before 1900. Designated: 20 February 1975.
Compared with North Norfolk and England
Share of homes
Cromer
All 91 areas in North Norfolk
England
Solid walls, no insulation
65.0%
50.6%
48.7%
Gas boiler
65.9%
40.3%
66.4%
Rated D–G
61.2%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 51% of these are from 2020 or later (latest 30 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 North Norfolk if in doubt.
Boundary: North Norfolk District Council via planning.data.gov.uk (entity 44015038, reference CONA/22/1, 24.8 ha); the council's appraisal or map. Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.