Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in Berwick-upon-Tweed conservation area
In the Berwick-upon-Tweed conservation area (Northumberland), 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 Northumberland covers this area and removes permitted development rights for replacement windows and doors, and other alterations to the house, so there these need planning permission too. The area has 263 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. 954 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 53.2% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 74.6% heat with a gas boiler and 59.3% 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
954homes with an energy certificate
53.2%solid walls, no insulation
74.6%heated by a gas boiler
2heat pumps
Article 4: An Article 4 direction published by Northumberland covers this area and removes permitted development rights for replacement windows and doors, and other alterations to the house, so there these need planning permission too. (Berwick-upon-Tweed; Governor's House, Palace Green, Berwick-upon-Tweed)
What needs planning permission in Berwick-upon-Tweed
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
Planning permission needed (an Article 4 direction here removes this right)
Part 1 Class A, A.3(a)
Listed buildings: 263 in the area (grade I: 16, II*: 20). 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: 58% 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 = 954)
Walls
Homes
Share
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
508
53.2%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
97
10.2%
Timber frame
74
7.8%
Cavity wall, filled
55
5.8%
Cavity wall, unfilled
49
5.1%
Solid wall, internal insulation
45
4.7%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
42
4.4%
Solid wall, insulated
39
4.1%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
34
3.6%
Solid wall, partly insulated
9
0.9%
Cavity wall, internal or external insulation
2
0.2%
Heating
Homes
Share
Gas boiler
712
74.6%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
199
20.9%
Communal heating
35
3.7%
Solid fuel (wood, coal)
4
0.4%
Heat pump
2
0.2%
LPG
1
0.1%
Oil
1
0.1%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
133
13.9%
Under 200 mm
124
13.0%
200 mm or more
277
29.0%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
109
11.4%
Flat or other home above
284
29.8%
Other
27
2.8%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
775
81.2%
Single glazed
151
15.8%
Secondary glazing
28
2.9%
CDE
Energy rating: A 1 (0.1%) · B 44 (4.6%) · C 343 (36.0%) · D 294 (30.8%) · E 193 (20.2%) · F 61 (6.4%) · G 18 (1.9%). Houses and bungalows: 42% of the homes; solar panels on 0.2% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: before 1900. Designated: 6 August 1970.
Compared with Northumberland and England
Share of homes
Berwick-upon-Tweed
All 70 areas in Northumberland
England
Solid walls, no insulation
53.2%
49.9%
48.7%
Gas boiler
74.6%
64.7%
66.4%
Rated D–G
59.3%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 46% of these are from 2020 or later (latest 29 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 Northumberland if in doubt.
Boundary: Northumberland County Council via planning.data.gov.uk (entity 44013630, reference CA11, 107.8 ha); the council's appraisal or map. Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.