Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in Weston-super-Mare conservation area
In the Weston-super-Mare conservation area (North Somerset), 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 Somerset covers this area, but the published data does not say which rights it removes — check the direction before any work. The area has 70 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. 7,197 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 58.3% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 62.5% heat with a gas boiler and 62.3% are rated D–G; 33 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
7,197homes with an energy certificate
58.3%solid walls, no insulation
62.5%heated by a gas boiler
33heat pumps
Article 4: An Article 4 direction published by North Somerset covers this area, but the published data does not say which rights it removes — check the direction before any work. (Great Weston Conservation Area, Weston-super-Mare; Land at the Junction of Beach Road and Richmond Street, Weston-super-Mare; Land at the Seafront, Weston-super-Mare; Weston-super-Mare (Birnbeck) Conservation area (1); Weston-super-Mare (Melrose/Grove Park) Conservation area (1))
What needs planning permission in Weston-super-Mare
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: 70 in the area (grade I: 0, II*: 3). 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: 84% 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 = 7,197)
Walls
Homes
Share
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
4,193
58.3%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
855
11.9%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
446
6.2%
Cavity wall, filled
422
5.9%
Cavity wall, unfilled
343
4.8%
Solid wall, internal insulation
323
4.5%
Timber frame
199
2.8%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
162
2.3%
Solid wall, insulated
116
1.6%
Other or not known
114
1.6%
Solid wall, partly insulated
15
0.2%
Cavity wall, internal or external insulation
6
0.1%
Solid wall, external insulation
3
0.0%
Heating
Homes
Share
Gas boiler
4,496
62.5%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
2,217
30.8%
Communal heating
431
6.0%
Heat pump
33
0.5%
Other
12
0.2%
Solid fuel (wood, coal)
4
0.1%
LPG
2
0.0%
Oil
2
0.0%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
646
9.0%
Under 200 mm
1,005
14.0%
200 mm or more
1,205
16.7%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
503
7.0%
Flat or other home above
3,568
49.6%
Other
269
3.7%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
6,519
90.6%
Single glazed
589
8.2%
Secondary glazing
59
0.8%
Triple glazed
16
0.2%
Other
14
0.2%
CDE
Energy rating: A 3 (0.0%) · B 411 (5.7%) · C 2,301 (32.0%) · D 2,857 (39.7%) · E 1,354 (18.8%) · F 200 (2.8%) · G 71 (1.0%). Houses and bungalows: 16% of the homes; solar panels on 0.3% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: before 1900. Designated: 28 January 2019.
Compared with North Somerset and England
Share of homes
Weston-super-Mare
All 39 areas in North Somerset
England
Solid walls, no insulation
58.3%
56.3%
48.7%
Gas boiler
62.5%
64.6%
66.4%
Rated D–G
62.3%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 55% of these are from 2020 or later (latest 31 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 Somerset if in doubt.
Boundary: North Somerset Council via planning.data.gov.uk (entity 44010178, reference CONSAREA-48, 297.5 ha). Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.