Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in Dulwich Village conservation area
In the Dulwich Village conservation area (Southwark), 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. An Article 4 direction published by Southwark covers part of this area (about 15% of it), but the published data does not say which rights it removes — check the direction before any work. The area has 72 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. 1,095 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 80.9% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 96.3% heat with a gas boiler and 82.1% are rated D–G; 10 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
1,095homes with an energy certificate
80.9%solid walls, no insulation
96.3%heated by a gas boiler
10heat pumps
Article 4: An Article 4 direction published by Southwark covers part of this area (about 15% of it), but the published data does not say which rights it removes — check the direction before any work. (Crown & Greyhound (due to reopen); Dulwich Village Local Town Centre; Protected shopping frontage SF43: Dulwich Village and Calton Avenue; Protected shopping frontage SF44: Dulwich Village; Railway Arches)
What needs planning permission in Dulwich Village
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: 72 in the area (grade I: 0, II*: 3). 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: 17% 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 = 1,095)
Walls
Homes
Share
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
886
80.9%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
56
5.1%
Cavity wall, unfilled
51
4.7%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
42
3.8%
Solid wall, internal insulation
18
1.6%
Cavity wall, filled
16
1.5%
Timber frame
9
0.8%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
6
0.5%
Other or not known
4
0.4%
Solid wall, insulated
3
0.3%
Cavity wall, internal or external insulation
2
0.2%
Solid wall, external insulation
2
0.2%
Heating
Homes
Share
Gas boiler
1,055
96.3%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
19
1.7%
Heat pump
10
0.9%
Communal heating
8
0.7%
Solid fuel (wood, coal)
2
0.2%
Oil
1
0.1%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
336
30.7%
Under 200 mm
295
26.9%
200 mm or more
160
14.6%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
189
17.3%
Flat or other home above
66
6.0%
Other
49
4.5%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
828
75.7%
Single glazed
212
19.4%
Secondary glazing
53
4.8%
Triple glazed
1
0.1%
CDE
Energy rating: A 13 (1.2%) · B 27 (2.5%) · C 156 (14.2%) · D 513 (46.8%) · E 307 (28.0%) · F 73 (6.7%) · G 6 (0.5%). Houses and bungalows: 83% of the homes; solar panels on 0.2% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: 1900-1929. Designated: 27 September 1968.
Compared with Southwark and England
Share of homes
Dulwich Village
All 56 areas in Southwark
England
Solid walls, no insulation
80.9%
56.7%
48.7%
Gas boiler
96.3%
71.3%
66.4%
Rated D–G
82.1%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 49% of these are from 2020 or later (latest 23 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 Southwark if in doubt.
Boundary: London Borough of Southwark via planning.data.gov.uk (entity 44010222, reference 7, 180.4 ha); the council's appraisal or map. Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.