Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in Netheravon conservation area
In the Netheravon conservation area (Wiltshire), 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 12 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. 101 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 26.7% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 5.9% heat with a gas boiler and 80.2% are rated D–G; 3 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
101homes with an energy certificate
26.7%solid walls, no insulation
5.9%heated by a gas boiler
3heat pumps
Article 4: Wiltshire publishes its Article 4 areas on planning.data.gov.uk and none overlaps this area; a direction can still exist on paper, so check with the council.
What needs planning permission in Netheravon
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: 12 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: 9% 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 = 101)
Walls
Homes
Share
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
27
26.7%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
24
23.8%
Cavity wall, filled
18
17.8%
Cavity wall, unfilled
13
12.9%
Solid wall, internal insulation
7
6.9%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
6
5.9%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
3
3.0%
Cavity wall, internal or external insulation
1
1.0%
Other or not known
1
1.0%
Solid wall, insulated
1
1.0%
Heating
Homes
Share
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
42
41.6%
Oil
38
37.6%
LPG
10
9.9%
Gas boiler
6
5.9%
Heat pump
3
3.0%
Solid fuel (wood, coal)
2
2.0%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
12
11.9%
Under 200 mm
29
28.7%
200 mm or more
33
32.7%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
16
15.8%
Flat or other home above
4
4.0%
Other
7
6.9%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
87
86.1%
Single glazed
11
10.9%
Secondary glazing
3
3.0%
CDEF
Energy rating: B 1 (1.0%) · C 19 (18.8%) · D 26 (25.7%) · E 36 (35.6%) · F 15 (14.9%) · G 4 (4.0%). Houses and bungalows: 91% of the homes; solar panels on 0.0% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: before 1900. Designated: 5 February 1981.
Compared with Wiltshire and England
Share of homes
Netheravon
All 244 areas in Wiltshire
England
Solid walls, no insulation
26.7%
42.5%
48.7%
Gas boiler
5.9%
45.5%
66.4%
Rated D–G
80.2%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 45% of these are from 2020 or later (latest 23 September 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 Wiltshire if in doubt.
Boundary: Wiltshire Council via planning.data.gov.uk (entity 44015259, reference CA/E/153, 19.7 ha); the council's appraisal or map. Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.