Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in Lace Market conservation area
In the Lace Market conservation area (Nottingham), 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 119 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. 1,882 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 18.3% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 25.8% heat with a gas boiler and 23.1% 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
1,882homes with an energy certificate
18.3%solid walls, no insulation
25.8%heated by a gas boiler
2heat pumps
Article 4: Nottingham does not publish Article 4 areas on planning.data.gov.uk — check with the council.
What needs planning permission in Lace Market
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: 119 in the area (grade I: 1, II*: 5). 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: 99% 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 = 1,882)
Walls
Homes
Share
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
548
29.1%
Other or not known
447
23.8%
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
345
18.3%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
223
11.8%
Solid wall, insulated
177
9.4%
Cavity wall, filled
54
2.9%
Solid wall, internal insulation
49
2.6%
Timber frame
18
1.0%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
7
0.4%
Solid wall, partly insulated
6
0.3%
Cavity wall, unfilled
5
0.3%
Cavity wall, internal or external insulation
2
0.1%
Solid wall, external insulation
1
0.1%
Heating
Homes
Share
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
1,372
72.9%
Gas boiler
485
25.8%
Communal heating
19
1.0%
Heat pump
2
0.1%
LPG
2
0.1%
Other
2
0.1%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
38
2.0%
Under 200 mm
23
1.2%
200 mm or more
63
3.3%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
217
11.5%
Flat or other home above
1,461
77.6%
Other
80
4.3%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
1,460
77.6%
Secondary glazing
245
13.0%
Single glazed
174
9.2%
Other
2
0.1%
Triple glazed
1
0.1%
BCD
Energy rating: B 446 (23.7%) · C 1,002 (53.2%) · D 297 (15.8%) · E 132 (7.0%) · F 4 (0.2%) · G 1 (0.1%). Houses and bungalows: 1% of the homes; solar panels on 0.1% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: 2003-2006.
Compared with Nottingham and England
Share of homes
Lace Market
All 31 areas in Nottingham
England
Solid walls, no insulation
18.3%
36.4%
48.7%
Gas boiler
25.8%
57.8%
66.4%
Rated D–G
23.1%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 62% of these are from 2020 or later (latest 13 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 Nottingham if in doubt.
Boundary: Nottingham City Council via planning.data.gov.uk (entity 44014078, reference 3034, 19.0 ha). Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.