REX / Conservation area solar
Solar Panels in Barnet Conservation Areas and Hampstead Garden Suburb
Barnet is our home borough, and some of its conservation areas are among the most tightly controlled in London. This guide covers what applies in Barnet generally, then Hampstead Garden Suburb, where there is a second approval on top of planning.
Guidance checked 16 October 2026. England only.
Barnet conservation areas in general
Outside any special rules, the national solar rules apply in Barnet conservation areas. For a house or flat that means no panels on a wall facing the road, prior approval for a flat roof, and consent for a listed building. Our general conservation area solar guide sets these out. Barnet has also made Article 4 Directions in ten of its conservation areas. These take away some of the usual rights. Each area has its own list, so check your address with Barnet Council before you plan.
Hampstead Garden Suburb
Hampstead Garden Suburb was designated a conservation area in 1968. It is the largest in Barnet and has around 500 listed buildings. There are two separate sets of control.
1. Barnet Council
- Barnet's Article 4 Directions for the Suburb were made between 1971 and 1982. They cover things like extensions, outbuildings, porches, hardstandings, fences, gates and painting.
- The published Directions do not mention solar panels. Whether you need planning permission for solar in the Suburb is something to confirm with Barnet before you start. Do not assume either way.
- Barnet and the Trust's joint design guidance says standard solar panels on visible elevations will not be acceptable.
- If your building is listed, you also need listed building consent from Barnet.
2. The Hampstead Garden Suburb Trust
The Trust runs a Scheme of Management, set up by the High Court in 1974. It applies to freeholders in the Suburb, and the Trust is the landlord for most leaseholders. In both cases you need the Trust's consent for external changes. This is separate from planning permission, and you may need both.
- The Trust says solar panels will not be acceptable on pitched roof slopes, because they are highly visible and the original tiled roofs are part of the Suburb's character.
- Panels that cannot be seen may be acceptable. The Trust gives crown roofs and flat roofs screened by a parapet or ridge as examples, including a flat garage roof hidden by its parapet.
- In rare cases a discreet position in the garden may be accepted.
- The application needs plans of the roofs or site, with fully dimensioned details of the equipment. The Trust may also ask about the roof's ability to carry the weight.
In Hampstead Garden Suburb, visibility is a key question. Solar may work on the right roof, subject to careful design and the required consents.
Commercial properties in Hampstead Garden Suburb and Barnet
Nationally, solar on a commercial roof can be permitted development, subject to conditions, with no size cap. Larger systems need the council's prior approval. In a conservation area, panels cannot go on a wall that faces a road under those rights. See our general conservation area solar guide for the detail. Inside Hampstead Garden Suburb, business premises may also be subject to Trust controls. The Trust's published solar guidance is written for homes, so do not assume it settles a shop, office or other commercial proposal. Ask the Trust about the property and proposed location before spending on design.
Who to contact
- Barnet Council planning, for whether planning permission or prior approval applies to your address.
- Hampstead Garden Suburb Trust, for consent. The Trust offers early advice before you apply.
What we do
If your property is in the Suburb or another Barnet conservation area, send us the address and roof photos. REX can advise on conservation matters and discuss possible roof positions, with the council and the Trust confirming their own requirements. We cannot promise what either will decide, and nothing here is legal advice.
Questions people ask
Can I fit solar panels in Hampstead Garden Suburb?
Sometimes. Panels on pitched roof slopes will not be accepted by the Trust. A flat or crown roof where the panels cannot be seen is the best chance, and you need the Trust's consent either way.
Do I need planning permission as well as Trust consent?
The Trust's consent is always needed. Planning permission may be needed too, depending on your property. Check with Barnet, and note that a listed building also needs listed building consent.
Is a shop or office in the Suburb treated differently?
National commercial rules differ from the rules for homes. Trust requirements for business premises need checking directly, because its published solar guidance is written for homes.
Do other parts of Barnet have the same rules?
No. The Trust's scheme is specific to the Suburb. Other Barnet conservation areas follow the national rules unless an Article 4 Direction says otherwise.
Talk to REX about your property
Considering solar in a conservation area? Send the address and roof photos with your enquiry. REX can advise on conservation matters and discuss the options, without promising consent or an outcome.
Permitted development is subject to all applicable conditions, not only the limits summarised here. Equipment should, so far as practicable, minimise its effect on the building and area, and be removed when no longer needed. Ask about all siting, boundary, area and other limits for a ground-mounted proposal.
Official guidance
This is general guidance, not legal or planning advice. Requirements depend on the property and can change. Confirm the position with the council and any relevant freeholder or estate before starting work.