Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in West Tarring conservation area
In the West Tarring conservation area (Worthing), 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 Worthing covers part of this area (about 1% 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 25 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. 126 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 32.5% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 80.2% heat with a gas boiler and 67.5% are rated D–G; 0 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
126homes with an energy certificate
32.5%solid walls, no insulation
80.2%heated by a gas boiler
0heat pumps
Article 4: An Article 4 direction published by Worthing covers part of this area (about 1% 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. (Church Road, Tarring)
What needs planning permission in West Tarring
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: 25 in the area (grade I: 1, II*: 3). 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: 31% 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 = 126)
Walls
Homes
Share
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
41
32.5%
Cavity wall, unfilled
30
23.8%
Cavity wall, filled
21
16.7%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
15
11.9%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
10
7.9%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
6
4.8%
Other or not known
2
1.6%
Solid wall, insulated
1
0.8%
Heating
Homes
Share
Gas boiler
101
80.2%
Communal heating
20
15.9%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
5
4.0%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
10
7.9%
Under 200 mm
39
31.0%
200 mm or more
30
23.8%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
16
12.7%
Flat or other home above
17
13.5%
Other
14
11.1%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
84
66.7%
Single glazed
40
31.7%
Secondary glazing
2
1.6%
BCDE
Energy rating: B 14 (11.1%) · C 27 (21.4%) · D 53 (42.1%) · E 23 (18.3%) · F 7 (5.6%) · G 2 (1.6%). Houses and bungalows: 69% of the homes; solar panels on 0.0% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: before 1900. Designated: 1 January 1975.
Compared with Worthing and England
Share of homes
West Tarring
All 26 areas in Worthing
England
Solid walls, no insulation
32.5%
49.8%
48.7%
Gas boiler
80.2%
61.5%
66.4%
Rated D–G
67.5%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 44% of these are from 2020 or later (latest 25 August 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 Worthing if in doubt.
Boundary: Worthing Borough Council via planning.data.gov.uk (entity 44014006, reference WCA26, 6.9 ha); the council's appraisal or map. Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.