Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in Whitby conservation area
In the Whitby conservation area (North Yorkshire), 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 413 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. 2,108 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 56.4% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 71.2% heat with a gas boiler and 60.7% are rated D–G; 15 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
2,108homes with an energy certificate
56.4%solid walls, no insulation
71.2%heated by a gas boiler
15heat pumps
Article 4: North Yorkshire does not publish Article 4 areas on planning.data.gov.uk — check with the council.
What needs planning permission in Whitby
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: 413 in the area (grade I: 9, II*: 21). 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: 63% 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 = 2,108)
Walls
Homes
Share
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
1,189
56.4%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
243
11.5%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
162
7.7%
Solid wall, internal insulation
130
6.2%
Cavity wall, unfilled
116
5.5%
Timber frame
96
4.6%
Cavity wall, filled
68
3.2%
Solid wall, insulated
52
2.5%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
24
1.1%
Solid wall, partly insulated
10
0.5%
Cavity wall, internal or external insulation
9
0.4%
Other or not known
7
0.3%
Solid wall, external insulation
2
0.1%
Heating
Homes
Share
Gas boiler
1,501
71.2%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
556
26.4%
Communal heating
20
0.9%
Heat pump
15
0.7%
Solid fuel (wood, coal)
10
0.5%
LPG
3
0.1%
Oil
3
0.1%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
465
22.1%
Under 200 mm
182
8.6%
200 mm or more
243
11.5%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
301
14.3%
Flat or other home above
791
37.6%
Other
124
5.9%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
1,695
80.4%
Single glazed
348
16.5%
Secondary glazing
61
2.9%
Triple glazed
4
0.2%
CDE
Energy rating: B 117 (5.6%) · C 711 (33.7%) · D 728 (34.5%) · E 405 (19.2%) · F 93 (4.4%) · G 54 (2.6%). Houses and bungalows: 37% of the homes; solar panels on 0.1% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: before 1900. Designated: 1 January 1973.
Compared with North Yorkshire and England
Share of homes
Whitby
All 248 areas in North Yorkshire
England
Solid walls, no insulation
56.4%
54.2%
48.7%
Gas boiler
71.2%
64.9%
66.4%
Rated D–G
60.7%
—
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 Yorkshire if in doubt.
Boundary: North Yorkshire Council via planning.data.gov.uk (entity 44006119, reference 1258, 120.2 ha); the council's appraisal or map. Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.