Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in Didcot Northbourne conservation area
In the Didcot Northbourne conservation area (South Oxfordshire), 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. 246 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 40.7% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 85.8% heat with a gas boiler and 51.6% are rated D–G; 4 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
246homes with an energy certificate
40.7%solid walls, no insulation
85.8%heated by a gas boiler
4heat pumps
Article 4: South Oxfordshire does not publish Article 4 areas on planning.data.gov.uk — check with the council.
What needs planning permission in Didcot Northbourne
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: none recorded inside the boundary; on a listed building, solar panels and heat pumps are not permitted development and need listed building consent.
Flats: 36% 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 = 246)
Walls
Homes
Share
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
100
40.7%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
47
19.1%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
44
17.9%
Cavity wall, filled
28
11.4%
Cavity wall, unfilled
13
5.3%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
5
2.0%
Solid wall, internal insulation
4
1.6%
Timber frame
3
1.2%
Other or not known
1
0.4%
Solid wall, insulated
1
0.4%
Heating
Homes
Share
Gas boiler
211
85.8%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
30
12.2%
Heat pump
4
1.6%
Solid fuel (wood, coal)
1
0.4%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
36
14.6%
Under 200 mm
56
22.8%
200 mm or more
52
21.1%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
33
13.4%
Flat or other home above
45
18.3%
Other
24
9.8%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
242
98.4%
Single glazed
3
1.2%
Secondary glazing
1
0.4%
CDE
Energy rating: B 17 (6.9%) · C 102 (41.5%) · D 86 (35.0%) · E 36 (14.6%) · F 3 (1.2%) · G 2 (0.8%). Houses and bungalows: 64% of the homes; solar panels on 0.8% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: before 1900. Designated: 14 December 1982.
Compared with South Oxfordshire and England
Share of homes
Didcot Northbourne
All 70 areas in South Oxfordshire
England
Solid walls, no insulation
40.7%
52.0%
48.7%
Gas boiler
85.8%
67.1%
66.4%
Rated D–G
51.6%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 59% of these are from 2020 or later (latest 26 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 Oxfordshire if in doubt.
Boundary: South Oxfordshire District Council via planning.data.gov.uk (entity 44004379, reference DIN, 7.1 ha). Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.