Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in Newmarket Road conservation area
In the Newmarket Road conservation area (Norwich), 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 114 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. 1,025 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 33.1% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 47.4% heat with a gas boiler and 47.1% are rated D–G; 83 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
1,025homes with an energy certificate
33.1%solid walls, no insulation
47.4%heated by a gas boiler
83heat pumps
Article 4: Norwich does not publish Article 4 areas on planning.data.gov.uk — check with the council.
What needs planning permission in Newmarket Road
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: 114 in the area. 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: 64% 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 = 1,025)
Walls
Homes
Share
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
339
33.1%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
259
25.3%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
90
8.8%
Solid wall, insulated
78
7.6%
Other or not known
70
6.8%
Cavity wall, filled
59
5.8%
Cavity wall, unfilled
56
5.5%
Solid wall, internal insulation
26
2.5%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
20
2.0%
Timber frame
18
1.8%
Solid wall, partly insulated
8
0.8%
Cavity wall, internal or external insulation
2
0.2%
Heating
Homes
Share
Gas boiler
486
47.4%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
351
34.2%
Communal heating
90
8.8%
Heat pump
83
8.1%
Other
11
1.1%
Oil
4
0.4%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
53
5.2%
Under 200 mm
134
13.1%
200 mm or more
202
19.7%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
135
13.2%
Flat or other home above
454
44.3%
Other
47
4.6%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
770
75.1%
Single glazed
185
18.0%
Secondary glazing
67
6.5%
Triple glazed
3
0.3%
BCDE
Energy rating: A 3 (0.3%) · B 99 (9.7%) · C 440 (42.9%) · D 318 (31.0%) · E 137 (13.4%) · F 27 (2.6%) · G 1 (0.1%). Houses and bungalows: 36% of the homes; solar panels on 0.7% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: before 1900.
Compared with Norwich and England
Share of homes
Newmarket Road
All 17 areas in Norwich
England
Solid walls, no insulation
33.1%
28.4%
48.7%
Gas boiler
47.4%
64.3%
66.4%
Rated D–G
47.1%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 45% 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 Norwich if in doubt.
Boundary: Norwich City Council via planning.data.gov.uk (entity 44014303, reference 14, 76.1 ha). Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.