Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in Jericho conservation area
In the Jericho conservation area (Oxford), 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 Oxford covers this area and removes permitted development rights for solar panels on the house, replacement windows and doors, and other alterations to the house, alterations to the roof (e.g. rooflights), painting the outside, so there these need planning permission too. The area has 6 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. 1,130 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 38.4% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 66.2% heat with a gas boiler and 42.2% are rated D–G; 16 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
1,130homes with an energy certificate
38.4%solid walls, no insulation
66.2%heated by a gas boiler
16heat pumps
Article 4: An Article 4 direction published by Oxford covers this area and removes permitted development rights for solar panels on the house, replacement windows and doors, and other alterations to the house, alterations to the roof (e.g. rooflights), painting the outside, so there these need planning permission too. (Houses in Multiple Occupation Article 4 Direction; The Jericho Article 4 Direction)
What needs planning permission in Jericho
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)
Planning permission needed (an Article 4 direction here removes this right)
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)
Planning permission needed (an Article 4 direction here removes this right)
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: 6 in the area (grade I: 1, II*: 1). 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: 52% 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 = 1,130)
Walls
Homes
Share
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
434
38.4%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
275
24.3%
Cavity wall, filled
111
9.8%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
109
9.6%
Cavity wall, unfilled
91
8.1%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
29
2.6%
Solid wall, internal insulation
23
2.0%
Other or not known
19
1.7%
Timber frame
18
1.6%
Cavity wall, internal or external insulation
13
1.2%
Solid wall, external insulation
5
0.4%
Solid wall, insulated
2
0.2%
Solid wall, partly insulated
1
0.1%
Heating
Homes
Share
Gas boiler
748
66.2%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
364
32.2%
Heat pump
16
1.4%
Communal heating
1
0.1%
Solid fuel (wood, coal)
1
0.1%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
134
11.9%
Under 200 mm
194
17.2%
200 mm or more
174
15.4%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
164
14.5%
Flat or other home above
392
34.7%
Other
72
6.4%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
1,024
90.6%
Single glazed
79
7.0%
Secondary glazing
20
1.8%
Triple glazed
7
0.6%
BCDE
Energy rating: A 9 (0.8%) · B 102 (9.0%) · C 542 (48.0%) · D 347 (30.7%) · E 115 (10.2%) · F 11 (1.0%) · G 4 (0.4%). Houses and bungalows: 48% of the homes; solar panels on 0.6% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: 1900-1929. Designated: 23 February 2011.
Compared with Oxford and England
Share of homes
Jericho
All 18 areas in Oxford
England
Solid walls, no insulation
38.4%
41.0%
48.7%
Gas boiler
66.2%
69.7%
66.4%
Rated D–G
42.2%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 58% 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 Oxford if in doubt.
Boundary: Oxford City Council via planning.data.gov.uk (entity 44015795, reference LHOUMKMF0AF00, 25.1 ha); the council's appraisal or map. Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.