Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in Midhurst conservation area
In the Midhurst conservation area (South Downs National Park Authority), 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 114 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. 689 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 31.6% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 75.9% heat with a gas boiler and 54.3% are rated D–G; 3 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
689homes with an energy certificate
31.6%solid walls, no insulation
75.9%heated by a gas boiler
3heat pumps
Article 4: South Downs National Park Authority does not publish Article 4 areas on planning.data.gov.uk — check with the council.
What needs planning permission in Midhurst
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: 114 in the area (grade I: 1, II*: 2). 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: 52% 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 = 689)
Walls
Homes
Share
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
218
31.6%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
132
19.2%
Cavity wall, unfilled
109
15.8%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
100
14.5%
Cavity wall, filled
52
7.5%
Timber frame
33
4.8%
Solid wall, insulated
17
2.5%
Solid wall, internal insulation
13
1.9%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
9
1.3%
Other or not known
6
0.9%
Heating
Homes
Share
Gas boiler
523
75.9%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
98
14.2%
Communal heating
58
8.4%
Oil
4
0.6%
Heat pump
3
0.4%
LPG
3
0.4%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
104
15.1%
Under 200 mm
112
16.3%
200 mm or more
124
18.0%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
97
14.1%
Flat or other home above
144
20.9%
Other
108
15.7%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
519
75.3%
Single glazed
115
16.7%
Secondary glazing
48
7.0%
Other
4
0.6%
Triple glazed
3
0.4%
BCDE
Energy rating: B 99 (14.4%) · C 216 (31.3%) · D 225 (32.7%) · E 117 (17.0%) · F 19 (2.8%) · G 13 (1.9%). Houses and bungalows: 48% of the homes; solar panels on 0.1% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: before 1900. Designated: 1 January 1974.
Compared with South Downs National Park Authority and England
Share of homes
Midhurst
All 124 areas in South Downs National Park Authority
England
Solid walls, no insulation
31.6%
47.0%
48.7%
Gas boiler
75.9%
54.9%
66.4%
Rated D–G
54.3%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 47% of these are from 2020 or later (latest 21 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 South Downs National Park Authority if in doubt.
Boundary: South Downs National Park Authority via planning.data.gov.uk (entity 44004206, reference 5507, 62.6 ha); the council's appraisal or map. Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.