Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in Richmond Hill conservation area
In the Richmond Hill conservation area (Richmond upon Thames), 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 79 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. 1,332 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 52.3% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 65.8% heat with a gas boiler and 56.7% are rated D–G; 8 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
1,332homes with an energy certificate
52.3%solid walls, no insulation
65.8%heated by a gas boiler
8heat pumps
Article 4: Richmond upon Thames does not publish Article 4 areas on planning.data.gov.uk — check with the council.
What needs planning permission in Richmond Hill
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: 79 in the area (grade I: 2, II*: 6). 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: 80% 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 = 1,332)
Walls
Homes
Share
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
696
52.3%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
160
12.0%
Cavity wall, unfilled
135
10.1%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
109
8.2%
Cavity wall, filled
77
5.8%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
48
3.6%
Timber frame
33
2.5%
Other or not known
24
1.8%
Solid wall, insulated
19
1.4%
Solid wall, internal insulation
18
1.4%
Solid wall, partly insulated
11
0.8%
Cavity wall, internal or external insulation
2
0.2%
Heating
Homes
Share
Gas boiler
877
65.8%
Communal heating
303
22.7%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
144
10.8%
Heat pump
8
0.6%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
172
12.9%
Under 200 mm
127
9.5%
200 mm or more
58
4.4%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
202
15.2%
Flat or other home above
715
53.7%
Other
58
4.4%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
895
67.2%
Single glazed
372
27.9%
Secondary glazing
64
4.8%
Triple glazed
1
0.1%
CDE
Energy rating: B 37 (2.8%) · C 540 (40.5%) · D 535 (40.2%) · E 191 (14.3%) · F 21 (1.6%) · G 8 (0.6%). Houses and bungalows: 20% of the homes; solar panels on 0.3% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: before 1900. Designated: 17 January 2000.
Compared with Richmond upon Thames and England
Share of homes
Richmond Hill
All 85 areas in Richmond upon Thames
England
Solid walls, no insulation
52.3%
63.5%
48.7%
Gas boiler
65.8%
83.6%
66.4%
Rated D–G
56.7%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 47% 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 Richmond upon Thames if in doubt.
Boundary: London Borough of Richmond upon Thames via planning.data.gov.uk (entity 44005248, reference 7350, 67.3 ha); the council's appraisal or map. Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.