Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in Campbell Road, Southsea conservation area
In the Campbell Road, Southsea conservation area (Portsmouth), 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. 742 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 11.5% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 79.0% heat with a gas boiler and 61.5% are rated D–G; 5 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
742homes with an energy certificate
11.5%solid walls, no insulation
79.0%heated by a gas boiler
5heat pumps
Article 4: Portsmouth does not publish Article 4 areas on planning.data.gov.uk — check with the council.
What needs planning permission in Campbell Road, Southsea
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: none recorded inside the boundary; on a listed building, solar panels and heat pumps are not permitted development and need listed building consent.
Flats: 65% 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 = 742)
Walls
Homes
Share
Cavity wall, unfilled
417
56.2%
Cavity wall, filled
97
13.1%
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
85
11.5%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
80
10.8%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
27
3.6%
Timber frame
15
2.0%
Other or not known
9
1.2%
Cavity wall, internal or external insulation
3
0.4%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
3
0.4%
Solid wall, external insulation
3
0.4%
Solid wall, insulated
3
0.4%
Heating
Homes
Share
Gas boiler
586
79.0%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
141
19.0%
Communal heating
10
1.3%
Heat pump
5
0.7%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
108
14.6%
Under 200 mm
122
16.4%
200 mm or more
92
12.4%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
71
9.6%
Flat or other home above
344
46.4%
Other
5
0.7%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
714
96.2%
Single glazed
23
3.1%
Secondary glazing
3
0.4%
Triple glazed
2
0.3%
CDE
Energy rating: B 21 (2.8%) · C 265 (35.7%) · D 317 (42.7%) · E 109 (14.7%) · F 24 (3.2%) · G 6 (0.8%). Houses and bungalows: 35% of the homes; solar panels on 0.7% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: 1900-1929. Designated: 2 March 1972.
Compared with Portsmouth and England
Share of homes
Campbell Road, Southsea
All 25 areas in Portsmouth
England
Solid walls, no insulation
11.5%
15.7%
48.7%
Gas boiler
79.0%
66.9%
66.4%
Rated D–G
61.5%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 53% of these are from 2020 or later (latest 28 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 Portsmouth if in doubt.
Boundary: Portsmouth City Council via planning.data.gov.uk (entity 44002279, reference 2657, 14.7 ha); the council's appraisal or map. Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.