Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in Dumbleton conservation area
In the Dumbleton conservation area (Tewkesbury), 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 Tewkesbury covers part of this area (about 0% of it) and removes permitted development rights for replacement windows and doors, and other alterations to the house, alterations to the roof (e.g. rooflights), painting the outside, so there these need planning permission too. The area has 23 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. 98 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 32% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 1% heat with a gas boiler and 91% 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
98homes with an energy certificate
32%solid walls, no insulation
1%heated by a gas boiler
4heat pumps
Article 4: An Article 4 direction published by Tewkesbury covers part of this area (about 0% of it) and removes permitted development rights for replacement windows and doors, and other alterations to the house, alterations to the roof (e.g. rooflights), painting the outside, so there these need planning permission too. (Dumbleton Article 4 Direction)
What needs planning permission in Dumbleton
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
Inside the Article 4 part of the area: planning permission needed; elsewhere: no permission needed (permitted development)
Part 1 Class A, A.3(a)
Listed buildings: 23 in the area (grade I: 1, 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: 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 = 98)
Walls
Homes
Share
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
31
32%
Cavity wall, filled
23
23%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
19
19%
Cavity wall, unfilled
14
14%
Solid wall, insulated
4
4%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
2
2%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
2
2%
Solid wall, internal insulation
1
1%
Solid wall, partly insulated
1
1%
Timber frame
1
1%
Heating
Homes
Share
Oil
63
64%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
19
19%
LPG
9
9%
Heat pump
4
4%
Communal heating
1
1%
Gas boiler
1
1%
Solid fuel (wood, coal)
1
1%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
6
6%
Under 200 mm
29
30%
200 mm or more
39
40%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
21
21%
Other
3
3%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
79
81%
Single glazed
15
15%
Secondary glazing
3
3%
Triple glazed
1
1%
CDEF
Energy rating: B 1 (1%) · C 8 (8%) · D 29 (30%) · E 42 (43%) · F 16 (16%) · G 2 (2%). Houses and bungalows: 100% of the homes; solar panels on 1% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: before 1900. Designated: 6 November 2001.
Compared with Tewkesbury and England
Share of homes
Dumbleton
All 14 areas in Tewkesbury
England
Solid walls, no insulation
32%
51.6%
48.7%
Gas boiler
1%
67.4%
66.4%
Rated D–G
91%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 41% of these are from 2020 or later (latest 18 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 Tewkesbury if in doubt.
Boundary: Tewkesbury Borough Council via planning.data.gov.uk (entity 44000704, reference CA04, 50.9 ha). Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.