Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in West Putney conservation area
In the West Putney conservation area (Wandsworth), 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. The area has 6 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. 1,255 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 61.8% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 92.2% heat with a gas boiler and 55.2% are rated D–G; 5 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
1,255homes with an energy certificate
61.8%solid walls, no insulation
92.2%heated by a gas boiler
5heat pumps
Article 4: Wandsworth does not publish Article 4 areas on planning.data.gov.uk — check with the council.
What needs planning permission in West Putney
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: 6 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: 64% 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 = 1,255)
Walls
Homes
Share
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
776
61.8%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
169
13.5%
Cavity wall, unfilled
72
5.7%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
55
4.4%
Timber frame
37
2.9%
Other or not known
34
2.7%
Cavity wall, filled
30
2.4%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
25
2.0%
Solid wall, insulated
22
1.8%
Solid wall, internal insulation
22
1.8%
Solid wall, partly insulated
7
0.6%
Cavity wall, internal or external insulation
3
0.2%
Solid wall, external insulation
3
0.2%
Heating
Homes
Share
Gas boiler
1,157
92.2%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
53
4.2%
Communal heating
38
3.0%
Heat pump
5
0.4%
Oil
2
0.2%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
209
16.7%
Under 200 mm
130
10.4%
200 mm or more
55
4.4%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
251
20.0%
Flat or other home above
563
44.9%
Other
47
3.7%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
970
77.3%
Single glazed
234
18.6%
Secondary glazing
48
3.8%
Triple glazed
3
0.2%
CDE
Energy rating: A 3 (0.2%) · B 100 (8.0%) · C 459 (36.6%) · D 420 (33.5%) · E 218 (17.4%) · F 49 (3.9%) · G 6 (0.5%). Houses and bungalows: 36% of the homes; solar panels on 0.1% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: 1900-1929. Designated: 26 November 1987.
Compared with Wandsworth and England
Share of homes
West Putney
All 47 areas in Wandsworth
England
Solid walls, no insulation
61.8%
62.1%
48.7%
Gas boiler
92.2%
81.0%
66.4%
Rated D–G
55.2%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 49% of these are from 2020 or later (latest 26 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 Wandsworth if in doubt.
Boundary: London Borough of Wandsworth via planning.data.gov.uk (entity 44001059, reference 3681, 58.3 ha); the council's appraisal or map. Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.