Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in Witney And Cogges conservation area
In the Witney And Cogges conservation area (West Oxfordshire), 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 West Oxfordshire covers part of this area (about 2% of it) but deals with other things (such as changes of use); it does not change the rules below. The area has 266 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. 1,402 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 36.4% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 61.4% heat with a gas boiler and 51.6% are rated D–G; 26 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
1,402homes with an energy certificate
36.4%solid walls, no insulation
61.4%heated by a gas boiler
26heat pumps
Article 4: An Article 4 direction published by West Oxfordshire covers part of this area (about 2% of it) but deals with other things (such as changes of use); it does not change the rules below. (Des Roches Square; Eagle Industrial Estate; Meadow Court; Spinners Court; Witan Way Offices)
What needs planning permission in Witney And Cogges
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: 266 in the area (grade I: 2, II*: 11). 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: 49% 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 = 1,402)
Walls
Homes
Share
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
510
36.4%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
502
35.8%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
120
8.6%
Timber frame
82
5.8%
Cavity wall, filled
59
4.2%
Solid wall, insulated
45
3.2%
Solid wall, internal insulation
31
2.2%
Cavity wall, unfilled
25
1.8%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
12
0.9%
Other or not known
9
0.6%
Solid wall, partly insulated
6
0.4%
Cavity wall, internal or external insulation
1
0.1%
Heating
Homes
Share
Gas boiler
861
61.4%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
508
36.2%
Heat pump
26
1.9%
Communal heating
3
0.2%
Solid fuel (wood, coal)
2
0.1%
LPG
1
0.1%
Oil
1
0.1%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
163
11.6%
Under 200 mm
220
15.7%
200 mm or more
303
21.6%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
285
20.3%
Flat or other home above
334
23.8%
Other
97
6.9%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
1,269
90.5%
Single glazed
72
5.1%
Secondary glazing
57
4.1%
Triple glazed
4
0.3%
CDE
Energy rating: A 1 (0.1%) · B 93 (6.6%) · C 584 (41.7%) · D 470 (33.5%) · E 212 (15.1%) · F 27 (1.9%) · G 15 (1.1%). Houses and bungalows: 51% of the homes; solar panels on 0.3% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: before 1900. Designated: 16 May 1968.
Compared with West Oxfordshire and England
Share of homes
Witney And Cogges
All 50 areas in West Oxfordshire
England
Solid walls, no insulation
36.4%
39.3%
48.7%
Gas boiler
61.4%
61.6%
66.4%
Rated D–G
51.6%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 56% of these are from 2020 or later (latest 23 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 West Oxfordshire if in doubt.
Boundary: West Oxfordshire District Council via planning.data.gov.uk (entity 44014533, reference CONARA/001, 136.2 ha); the council's appraisal or map. Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.