Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in Tynemouth conservation area
In the Tynemouth conservation area (North Tyneside), 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 Tyneside covers part of this area (about 16% of it) and removes permitted development rights for replacement windows and doors, and other alterations to the house, alterations to the roof (e.g. rooflights), chimneys, flues and soil pipes, so there these need planning permission too. The area has 50 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. 1,149 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 56.9% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 82.2% heat with a gas boiler and 56.4% are rated D–G; 5 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
1,149homes with an energy certificate
56.9%solid walls, no insulation
82.2%heated by a gas boiler
5heat pumps
Article 4: An Article 4 direction published by North Tyneside covers part of this area (about 16% of it) and removes permitted development rights for replacement windows and doors, and other alterations to the house, alterations to the roof (e.g. rooflights), chimneys, flues and soil pipes, so there these need planning permission too. (Spanish Battery (Article 4 Direction); Tynemouth Village CA Article 4 Direction)
What needs planning permission in Tynemouth
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
Inside the Article 4 part of the area: planning permission needed; elsewhere: no permission needed (permitted development)
Part 1 Class A, A.3(a)
Listed buildings: 50 in the area (grade I: 0, II*: 2). 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: 72% 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 = 1,149)
Walls
Homes
Share
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
654
56.9%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
222
19.3%
Cavity wall, filled
115
10.0%
Cavity wall, unfilled
67
5.8%
Timber frame
35
3.0%
Solid wall, insulated
23
2.0%
Solid wall, internal insulation
10
0.9%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
7
0.6%
Other or not known
6
0.5%
Solid wall, partly insulated
4
0.3%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
3
0.3%
Solid wall, external insulation
2
0.2%
Cavity wall, internal or external insulation
1
0.1%
Heating
Homes
Share
Gas boiler
944
82.2%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
151
13.1%
Communal heating
49
4.3%
Heat pump
5
0.4%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
195
17.0%
Under 200 mm
124
10.8%
200 mm or more
193
16.8%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
111
9.7%
Flat or other home above
522
45.4%
Other
4
0.3%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
954
83.0%
Single glazed
131
11.4%
Secondary glazing
64
5.6%
CDE
Energy rating: A 1 (0.1%) · B 42 (3.7%) · C 458 (39.9%) · D 450 (39.2%) · E 166 (14.4%) · F 30 (2.6%) · G 2 (0.2%). Houses and bungalows: 28% of the homes; solar panels on 0.3% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: before 1900. Designated: 14 September 2008.
Compared with North Tyneside and England
Share of homes
Tynemouth
All 17 areas in North Tyneside
England
Solid walls, no insulation
56.9%
36.4%
48.7%
Gas boiler
82.2%
73.7%
66.4%
Rated D–G
56.4%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 45% of these are from 2020 or later (latest 26 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 Tyneside if in doubt.
Boundary: North Tyneside Council via planning.data.gov.uk (entity 44014380, reference CON/4600, 113.5 ha); the council's appraisal or map. Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.