Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in St Saviours Dock conservation area
In the St Saviours Dock 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 this area, but the published data does not say which rights it removes — check the direction before any work. The area has 27 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. 1,023 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 24.9% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 38.5% heat with a gas boiler and 27.6% are rated D–G; 22 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
1,023homes with an energy certificate
24.9%solid walls, no insulation
38.5%heated by a gas boiler
22heat pumps
Article 4: An Article 4 direction published by Southwark covers this area, but the published data does not say which rights it removes — check the direction before any work. (Central Activities Zone; Protected shopping frontage SF16: Dockhead; THE SHIP AGROUND PUBLIC HOUSE)
What needs planning permission in St Saviours Dock
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: 27 in the area (grade I: 0, II*: 1). 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: 99% 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 = 1,023)
Walls
Homes
Share
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
408
39.9%
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
255
24.9%
Other or not known
141
13.8%
Solid wall, insulated
118
11.5%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
31
3.0%
Timber frame
28
2.7%
Solid wall, partly insulated
11
1.1%
Cavity wall, unfilled
10
1.0%
Solid wall, internal insulation
9
0.9%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
8
0.8%
Cavity wall, internal or external insulation
2
0.2%
Cavity wall, filled
1
0.1%
Solid wall, external insulation
1
0.1%
Heating
Homes
Share
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
583
57.0%
Gas boiler
394
38.5%
Communal heating
22
2.2%
Heat pump
22
2.2%
LPG
2
0.2%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
27
2.6%
Under 200 mm
2
0.2%
200 mm or more
10
1.0%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
127
12.4%
Flat or other home above
850
83.1%
Other
7
0.7%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
786
76.8%
Single glazed
209
20.4%
Secondary glazing
25
2.4%
Triple glazed
3
0.3%
BCD
Energy rating: B 174 (17.0%) · C 567 (55.4%) · D 211 (20.6%) · E 62 (6.1%) · F 7 (0.7%) · G 2 (0.2%). Houses and bungalows: 1% of the homes; solar panels on 0.0% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: 1996-2002. Designated: 1 April 1973.
Compared with Southwark and England
Share of homes
St Saviours Dock
All 56 areas in Southwark
England
Solid walls, no insulation
24.9%
56.7%
48.7%
Gas boiler
38.5%
71.3%
66.4%
Rated D–G
27.6%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 55% 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 Southwark if in doubt.
Boundary: London Borough of Southwark via planning.data.gov.uk (entity 44010227, reference 12, 12.3 ha); the council's appraisal or map. Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.