Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in Syddal Park conservation area
In the Syddal Park conservation area (Stockport), 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 Stockport covers this area and removes permitted development rights for replacement windows and doors, and other alterations to the house, alterations to the roof (e.g. rooflights), chimneys, flues and soil pipes, painting the outside, so there these need planning permission too. 159 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 13.8% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 99.4% heat with a gas boiler and 84.9% 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
159homes with an energy certificate
13.8%solid walls, no insulation
99.4%heated by a gas boiler
0heat pumps
Article 4: An Article 4 direction published by Stockport covers this area and removes permitted development rights for replacement windows and doors, and other alterations to the house, alterations to the roof (e.g. rooflights), chimneys, flues and soil pipes, painting the outside, so there these need planning permission too. (Syddal Park)
What needs planning permission in Syddal Park
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
Planning permission needed (an Article 4 direction here removes this right)
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: 0% 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 = 159)
Walls
Homes
Share
Cavity wall, unfilled
73
45.9%
Cavity wall, filled
52
32.7%
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
22
13.8%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
9
5.7%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
2
1.3%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
1
0.6%
Heating
Homes
Share
Gas boiler
158
99.4%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
1
0.6%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
28
17.6%
Under 200 mm
60
37.7%
200 mm or more
45
28.3%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
24
15.1%
Other
2
1.3%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
137
86.2%
Single glazed
16
10.1%
Secondary glazing
6
3.8%
CDE
Energy rating: B 2 (1.3%) · C 22 (13.8%) · D 68 (42.8%) · E 56 (35.2%) · F 10 (6.3%) · G 1 (0.6%). Houses and bungalows: 100% of the homes; solar panels on 1.3% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: 1900-1929. Designated: 1 January 2005.
Compared with Stockport and England
Share of homes
Syddal Park
All 37 areas in Stockport
England
Solid walls, no insulation
13.8%
30.6%
48.7%
Gas boiler
99.4%
73.3%
66.4%
Rated D–G
84.9%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 38% of these are from 2020 or later (latest 14 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 Stockport if in doubt.
Boundary: Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council via planning.data.gov.uk (entity 44014594, reference 33, 19.9 ha); the council's appraisal or map. Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.