Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in Old Portsmouth conservation area
In the Old Portsmouth 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. The area has 93 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. 775 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 9.7% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 75.2% heat with a gas boiler and 44.3% are rated D–G; 13 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
775homes with an energy certificate
9.7%solid walls, no insulation
75.2%heated by a gas boiler
13heat pumps
Article 4: Portsmouth does not publish Article 4 areas on planning.data.gov.uk — check with the council.
What needs planning permission in Old Portsmouth
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: 93 in the area (grade I: 5, II*: 4). 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: 51% 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 = 775)
Walls
Homes
Share
Cavity wall, unfilled
218
28.1%
Cavity wall, filled
175
22.6%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
174
22.5%
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
75
9.7%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
50
6.5%
Other or not known
24
3.1%
Timber frame
24
3.1%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
23
3.0%
Cavity wall, internal or external insulation
4
0.5%
Solid wall, insulated
4
0.5%
Solid wall, internal insulation
4
0.5%
Heating
Homes
Share
Gas boiler
583
75.2%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
124
16.0%
Communal heating
54
7.0%
Heat pump
13
1.7%
Solid fuel (wood, coal)
1
0.1%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
78
10.1%
Under 200 mm
155
20.0%
200 mm or more
114
14.7%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
148
19.1%
Flat or other home above
256
33.1%
Other
23
3.0%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
729
94.1%
Single glazed
38
4.9%
Secondary glazing
7
0.9%
Triple glazed
1
0.1%
CDE
Energy rating: A 1 (0.1%) · B 52 (6.7%) · C 379 (48.9%) · D 259 (33.4%) · E 68 (8.8%) · F 13 (1.7%) · G 3 (0.4%). Houses and bungalows: 49% of the homes; solar panels on 0.5% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: 1950-1966. Designated: 10 September 1969.
Compared with Portsmouth and England
Share of homes
Old Portsmouth
All 25 areas in Portsmouth
England
Solid walls, no insulation
9.7%
15.7%
48.7%
Gas boiler
75.2%
66.9%
66.4%
Rated D–G
44.3%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 52% 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 Portsmouth if in doubt.
Boundary: Portsmouth City Council via planning.data.gov.uk (entity 44001999, reference 2645, 42.4 ha); the council's appraisal or map. Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.