Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in Frome conservation area
In the Frome conservation area (Somerset), 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 344 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. 1,808 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 69.8% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 75.3% heat with a gas boiler and 69.1% are rated D–G; 12 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
1,808homes with an energy certificate
69.8%solid walls, no insulation
75.3%heated by a gas boiler
12heat pumps
Article 4: Somerset does not publish Article 4 areas on planning.data.gov.uk — check with the council.
What needs planning permission in Frome
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: 344 in the area (grade I: 2, II*: 21). 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: 38% 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 = 1,808)
Walls
Homes
Share
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
1,262
69.8%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
196
10.8%
Solid wall, insulated
71
3.9%
Timber frame
60
3.3%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
57
3.2%
Solid wall, internal insulation
51
2.8%
Cavity wall, filled
45
2.5%
Cavity wall, unfilled
36
2.0%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
24
1.3%
Solid wall, partly insulated
3
0.2%
Cavity wall, internal or external insulation
1
0.1%
Other or not known
1
0.1%
Solid wall, external insulation
1
0.1%
Heating
Homes
Share
Gas boiler
1,361
75.3%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
380
21.0%
Communal heating
45
2.5%
Heat pump
12
0.7%
Solid fuel (wood, coal)
4
0.2%
LPG
3
0.2%
Oil
3
0.2%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
347
19.2%
Under 200 mm
400
22.1%
200 mm or more
326
18.0%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
309
17.1%
Flat or other home above
379
21.0%
Other
47
2.6%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
1,355
74.9%
Single glazed
354
19.6%
Secondary glazing
96
5.3%
Triple glazed
2
0.1%
Other
1
0.1%
CDE
Energy rating: A 2 (0.1%) · B 62 (3.4%) · C 494 (27.3%) · D 753 (41.6%) · E 417 (23.1%) · F 57 (3.2%) · G 23 (1.3%). Houses and bungalows: 62% of the homes; solar panels on 0.6% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: before 1900. Designated: 1 January 1973.
Compared with Somerset and England
Share of homes
Frome
All 178 areas in Somerset
England
Solid walls, no insulation
69.8%
57.3%
48.7%
Gas boiler
75.3%
61.6%
66.4%
Rated D–G
69.1%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 53% 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 Somerset if in doubt.
Boundary: Somerset Council via planning.data.gov.uk (entity 44003958, reference 1799, 99.8 ha); the council's appraisal or map. Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.