Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in Shrewsbury conservation area
In the Shrewsbury conservation area (Shropshire), 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 727 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. 5,034 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 41.8% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 66.4% heat with a gas boiler and 50.0% are rated D–G; 27 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
5,034homes with an energy certificate
41.8%solid walls, no insulation
66.4%heated by a gas boiler
27heat pumps
Article 4: Shropshire does not publish Article 4 areas on planning.data.gov.uk — check with the council.
What needs planning permission in Shrewsbury
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: 727 in the area (grade I: 15, II*: 65). 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: 48% 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 = 5,034)
Walls
Homes
Share
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
2,102
41.8%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
1,044
20.7%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
617
12.3%
Cavity wall, filled
420
8.3%
Timber frame
250
5.0%
Solid wall, insulated
201
4.0%
Solid wall, internal insulation
126
2.5%
Cavity wall, unfilled
119
2.4%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
81
1.6%
Other or not known
49
1.0%
Solid wall, partly insulated
17
0.3%
Cavity wall, internal or external insulation
8
0.2%
Heating
Homes
Share
Gas boiler
3,342
66.4%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
1,456
28.9%
Communal heating
195
3.9%
Heat pump
27
0.5%
Oil
6
0.1%
Solid fuel (wood, coal)
5
0.1%
LPG
3
0.1%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
517
10.3%
Under 200 mm
872
17.3%
200 mm or more
1,260
25.0%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
528
10.5%
Flat or other home above
1,444
28.7%
Other
413
8.2%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
3,996
79.4%
Single glazed
722
14.3%
Secondary glazing
303
6.0%
Triple glazed
13
0.3%
BCDE
Energy rating: A 5 (0.1%) · B 610 (12.1%) · C 1,900 (37.7%) · D 1,646 (32.7%) · E 722 (14.3%) · F 104 (2.1%) · G 47 (0.9%). Houses and bungalows: 52% of the homes; solar panels on 0.4% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: before 1900. Designated: 15 May 1970.
Compared with Shropshire and England
Share of homes
Shrewsbury
All 121 areas in Shropshire
England
Solid walls, no insulation
41.8%
45.8%
48.7%
Gas boiler
66.4%
60.5%
66.4%
Rated D–G
50.0%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 51% 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 Shropshire if in doubt.
Boundary: Shropshire Council via planning.data.gov.uk (entity 44003953, reference 5525, 388.0 ha); the council's appraisal or map. Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.