Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in Ashby-de-la-Zouch conservation area
In the Ashby-de-la-Zouch conservation area (North West Leicestershire), 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 138 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. 397 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 44.3% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 74.6% heat with a gas boiler and 49.1% 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
397homes with an energy certificate
44.3%solid walls, no insulation
74.6%heated by a gas boiler
0heat pumps
Article 4: North West Leicestershire does not publish Article 4 areas on planning.data.gov.uk — check with the council.
What needs planning permission in Ashby-de-la-Zouch
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: 138 in the area (grade I: 2, II*: 6). 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: 49% 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 = 397)
Walls
Homes
Share
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
176
44.3%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
79
19.9%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
65
16.4%
Cavity wall, filled
32
8.1%
Solid wall, internal insulation
20
5.0%
Cavity wall, unfilled
9
2.3%
Solid wall, insulated
8
2.0%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
3
0.8%
Solid wall, external insulation
2
0.5%
Timber frame
2
0.5%
Other or not known
1
0.3%
Heating
Homes
Share
Gas boiler
296
74.6%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
99
24.9%
Communal heating
1
0.3%
Solid fuel (wood, coal)
1
0.3%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
45
11.3%
Under 200 mm
65
16.4%
200 mm or more
119
30.0%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
37
9.3%
Flat or other home above
89
22.4%
Other
42
10.6%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
335
84.4%
Single glazed
44
11.1%
Secondary glazing
18
4.5%
BCDE
Energy rating: B 50 (12.6%) · C 152 (38.3%) · D 129 (32.5%) · E 53 (13.4%) · F 9 (2.3%) · G 4 (1.0%). Houses and bungalows: 51% of the homes; solar panels on 0.0% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: before 1900. Designated: 2 November 1972.
Compared with North West Leicestershire and England
Share of homes
Ashby-de-la-Zouch
All 26 areas in North West Leicestershire
England
Solid walls, no insulation
44.3%
47.5%
48.7%
Gas boiler
74.6%
70.6%
66.4%
Rated D–G
49.1%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 49% 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 West Leicestershire if in doubt.
Boundary: North West Leicestershire District Council via planning.data.gov.uk (entity 44004641, reference NWL_245_CA_2, 36.4 ha); the council's appraisal or map. Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.