Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in Wells-next-the-Sea conservation area
In the Wells-next-the-Sea 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 173 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. 475 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 43.6% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 84.4% heat with a gas boiler and 60.8% are rated D–G; 2 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
475homes with an energy certificate
43.6%solid walls, no insulation
84.4%heated by a gas boiler
2heat 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 Wells-next-the-Sea
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: 173 in the area (grade I: 0, II*: 4). 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: 19% 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 = 475)
Walls
Homes
Share
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
207
43.6%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
99
20.8%
Cavity wall, filled
47
9.9%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
38
8.0%
Solid wall, insulated
24
5.1%
Cavity wall, unfilled
20
4.2%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
15
3.2%
Solid wall, internal insulation
11
2.3%
Timber frame
9
1.9%
Solid wall, external insulation
2
0.4%
Solid wall, partly insulated
2
0.4%
Cavity wall, internal or external insulation
1
0.2%
Heating
Homes
Share
Gas boiler
401
84.4%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
51
10.7%
Communal heating
14
2.9%
Oil
4
0.8%
Solid fuel (wood, coal)
3
0.6%
Heat pump
2
0.4%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
48
10.1%
Under 200 mm
145
30.5%
200 mm or more
124
26.1%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
94
19.8%
Flat or other home above
26
5.5%
Other
38
8.0%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
381
80.2%
Single glazed
65
13.7%
Secondary glazing
29
6.1%
CDE
Energy rating: A 8 (1.7%) · B 28 (5.9%) · C 150 (31.6%) · D 176 (37.1%) · E 80 (16.8%) · F 22 (4.6%) · G 11 (2.3%). Houses and bungalows: 81% of the homes; solar panels on 1.3% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: before 1900. Designated: 6 June 1974.
Compared with North Norfolk and England
Share of homes
Wells-next-the-Sea
All 91 areas in North Norfolk
England
Solid walls, no insulation
43.6%
50.6%
48.7%
Gas boiler
84.4%
40.3%
66.4%
Rated D–G
60.8%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 52% of these are from 2020 or later (latest 21 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 44015066, reference CONA/113/1, 34.5 ha); the council's appraisal or map. Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.