Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in Covent Garden conservation area
In the Covent Garden conservation area (Westminster), 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 Westminster covers this area and removes permitted development rights for replacement windows and doors, and other alterations to the house, so there these need planning permission too. The area has 168 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. 1,330 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 54.4% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 52.8% heat with a gas boiler and 25.8% are rated D–G; 96 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
1,330homes with an energy certificate
54.4%solid walls, no insulation
52.8%heated by a gas boiler
96heat pumps
Article 4: An Article 4 direction published by Westminster covers this area and removes permitted development rights for replacement windows and doors, and other alterations to the house, so there these need planning permission too. (Article 4 Basement Development Permitted Rights Removed; Article 4 Direction Class E To C3 In Central Activities Zone)
What needs planning permission in Covent Garden
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: 168 in the area (grade I: 3, II*: 10). 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: 99% 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 = 1,330)
Walls
Homes
Share
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
724
54.4%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
128
9.6%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
113
8.5%
Solid wall, internal insulation
97
7.3%
Other or not known
86
6.5%
Solid wall, partly insulated
55
4.1%
Solid wall, insulated
48
3.6%
Timber frame
44
3.3%
Cavity wall, unfilled
19
1.4%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
9
0.7%
Cavity wall, internal or external insulation
5
0.4%
Solid wall, external insulation
2
0.2%
Heating
Homes
Share
Gas boiler
702
52.8%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
345
25.9%
Communal heating
187
14.1%
Heat pump
96
7.2%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
88
6.6%
Under 200 mm
24
1.8%
200 mm or more
23
1.7%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
150
11.3%
Flat or other home above
989
74.4%
Other
56
4.2%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
807
60.7%
Single glazed
273
20.5%
Secondary glazing
229
17.2%
Triple glazed
21
1.6%
BCD
Energy rating: A 1 (0.1%) · B 211 (15.9%) · C 775 (58.3%) · D 224 (16.8%) · E 104 (7.8%) · F 7 (0.5%) · G 8 (0.6%). Houses and bungalows: 1% of the homes; solar panels on 0.0% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: 1900-1929. Designated: 1 January 1987.
Compared with Westminster and England
Share of homes
Covent Garden
All 56 areas in Westminster
England
Solid walls, no insulation
54.4%
66.4%
48.7%
Gas boiler
52.8%
59.2%
66.4%
Rated D–G
25.8%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 65% of these are from 2020 or later (latest 24 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 Westminster if in doubt.
Boundary: City of Westminster via planning.data.gov.uk (entity 44002867, reference 08/01260/CONARA, 19.6 ha); the council's appraisal or map. Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.