Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in St Albans - Victoria Street conservation area
In the St Albans - Victoria Street conservation area (St Albans), 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 St Albans covers part of this area (about 28% of it) but deals with other things (such as changes of use); it does not change the rules below. 216 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 42.6% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 64.4% heat with a gas boiler and 50.0% are rated D–G; 0 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
216homes with an energy certificate
42.6%solid walls, no insulation
64.4%heated by a gas boiler
0heat pumps
Article 4: An Article 4 direction published by St Albans covers part of this area (about 28% of it) but deals with other things (such as changes of use); it does not change the rules below. (St Albans City Core)
What needs planning permission in St Albans - Victoria Street
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)
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)
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)
Replacement windows and doors of similar appearance
No permission needed (permitted development)
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: 69% 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 = 216)
Walls
Homes
Share
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
92
42.6%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
65
30.1%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
23
10.6%
Timber frame
12
5.6%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
7
3.2%
Solid wall, insulated
6
2.8%
Other or not known
5
2.3%
Cavity wall, unfilled
4
1.9%
Solid wall, partly insulated
2
0.9%
Heating
Homes
Share
Gas boiler
139
64.4%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
77
35.6%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
26
12.0%
Under 200 mm
32
14.8%
200 mm or more
20
9.3%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
23
10.6%
Flat or other home above
79
36.6%
Other
36
16.7%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
196
90.7%
Single glazed
11
5.1%
Secondary glazing
9
4.2%
BCDE
Energy rating: B 36 (16.7%) · C 72 (33.3%) · D 63 (29.2%) · E 42 (19.4%) · F 3 (1.4%). Houses and bungalows: 31% of the homes; solar panels on 0.0% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: 1900-1929. Designated: 24 March 1969.
Compared with St Albans and England
Share of homes
St Albans - Victoria Street
All 45 areas in St Albans
England
Solid walls, no insulation
42.6%
37.1%
48.7%
Gas boiler
64.4%
76.8%
66.4%
Rated D–G
50.0%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 62% 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 St Albans if in doubt.
Boundary: St Albans City and District Council via planning.data.gov.uk (entity 44010109, reference CA11_7c, 4.7 ha); the council's appraisal or map. Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.