Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in Moor Park (Moor Park) conservation area
In the Moor Park conservation area (Preston), 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 3 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. 1,923 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 24.6% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 90.7% heat with a gas boiler and 76.4% are rated D–G; 6 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
1,923homes with an energy certificate
24.6%solid walls, no insulation
90.7%heated by a gas boiler
6heat pumps
Article 4: Preston does not publish Article 4 areas on planning.data.gov.uk — check with the council.
What needs planning permission in Moor Park
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: 3 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: 14% 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 = 1,923)
Walls
Homes
Share
Cavity wall, unfilled
865
45.0%
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
474
24.6%
Cavity wall, filled
441
22.9%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
64
3.3%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
21
1.1%
Cavity wall, internal or external insulation
15
0.8%
Solid wall, internal insulation
15
0.8%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
11
0.6%
Other or not known
6
0.3%
Solid wall, insulated
5
0.3%
Timber frame
5
0.3%
Solid wall, external insulation
1
0.1%
Heating
Homes
Share
Gas boiler
1,744
90.7%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
155
8.1%
Communal heating
11
0.6%
Heat pump
6
0.3%
LPG
6
0.3%
Solid fuel (wood, coal)
1
0.1%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
408
21.2%
Under 200 mm
484
25.2%
200 mm or more
748
38.9%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
128
6.7%
Flat or other home above
142
7.4%
Other
13
0.7%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
1,876
97.6%
Single glazed
44
2.3%
Secondary glazing
3
0.2%
CDE
Energy rating: B 15 (0.8%) · C 439 (22.8%) · D 1,100 (57.2%) · E 307 (16.0%) · F 47 (2.4%) · G 15 (0.8%). Houses and bungalows: 86% of the homes; solar panels on 0.1% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: 1900-1929. Designated: 1 January 2013.
Compared with Preston and England
Share of homes
Moor Park
All 14 areas in Preston
England
Solid walls, no insulation
24.6%
24.3%
48.7%
Gas boiler
90.7%
80.8%
66.4%
Rated D–G
76.4%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 55% 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 Preston if in doubt.
Boundary: Preston City Council via planning.data.gov.uk (entity 44016827, reference Moor Park, 80.4 ha); the council's appraisal or map. Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.