Can You Fit Solar Panels in a Conservation Area in London?

The short answer

• Most roofs in a conservation area can take solar without planning permission if the panels meet the standard size and height limits.
• You cannot use permitted development for panels on a wall that faces a road. That needs planning permission.
• Flat roofs on homes in a conservation area need the council's prior approval first.
• Listed buildings always need consent, and so do some buildings on private estates. Your council may also have local rules on top.

Houses

Under national rules you can fit solar panels on a house without applying for planning permission if all of these are true:

• On a pitched roof, the panels stick out no more than 20cm and sit no higher than the highest part of the roof (not counting the chimney).
• On a flat roof, the panels rise no more than 60cm above the highest part of the roof. In a conservation area you also need to ask the council for prior approval first. This is a short application about how the panels will look.
• Nothing is fixed to a wall, balcony or roof enclosure that faces a road. In a conservation area that needs planning permission.
• Panels on the ground or on a stand in the garden: in a conservation area, if they would sit between the house and the road they can be no higher than 2m and you need prior approval.

One thing that surprises people: the road-facing rule is about walls, balconies and roof enclosures. A pitched roof slope facing the road is not ruled out nationally. Some areas do rule it out locally, which is why the next sections matter.

Flats

The same national solar rule covers flats, with its own limits. In practice, flats add two more questions. Who owns the roof, and what does your lease say? Even where the council needs nothing, you will usually need your freeholder or management company to agree. Check with your council before you plan anything, because it may treat flats differently.

Commercial buildings

The rules for non-domestic buildings are easier than they used to be. The government changed them in December 2023. For offices, warehouses, shops and other commercial buildings:

• Solar on a roof can be permitted development, subject to the conditions below. The old 1MW size limit has been removed.
• On a pitched roof, panels stick out no more than 20cm. On a flat roof, they rise no more than 1m above the highest part of the roof. Panels sit at least 1m in from the roof edge.
• Larger roof systems, above the size of a small installation, need the council's prior approval for design, appearance and glare on neighbours.
• In a conservation area, you cannot fit panels on a wall that faces a road under permitted development.
• Ground-mounted panels near the road in a conservation area are limited to 2m high and need prior approval.
• Listed buildings, and buildings within the grounds of a listed building, are outside these rights.

Many commercial buildings also have a lease, a landlord, or an insurer to speak to before anything is booked.

Listed buildings

If your building is listed, or sits within the grounds of a listed building, the usual solar permitted development rights do not apply. Ask the council about planning permission and any listed building consent needed before fitting solar. Historic England says consent is needed for any solar panels on a listed building. Your council's conservation officer is the place to start.

Article 4 Directions and local rules

A council can remove permitted development rights in a conservation area by making an Article 4 Direction. Where one covers your property you may need planning permission for work that is normally allowed. Each Direction lists what it covers, so check your address with the council. Some areas also have private rules, for example a landlord or estate that must approve any outside change. Hampstead Garden Suburb is the clearest London example.

How to check your property

• Find out if the address is in a conservation area. Your council has a map on its website.
• Check whether the building is listed. Historic England's National Heritage List shows this.
• Ask the council if an Article 4 Direction applies to the address.
• If you rent, or live on an estate or in a block, ask your landlord, freeholder or management company what they need.

What to do next

Send us the address and a few photos of the roof. REX can advise on conservation matters and discuss whether the roof may be suitable for solar. The council or relevant estate must confirm which consents apply. We cannot promise what a council will decide, and nothing here is legal advice.

Questions people ask

Do I always need planning permission for solar in a conservation area?

No. Many installations do not need a full planning application. Panels on a wall facing the road and work involving listed buildings need particular checks. Flat-roof solar on homes in conservation areas needs prior approval, which is a separate process.

Can I put panels on the front of my roof?

Under the national rules, a front roof slope is not ruled out. Your council or an Article 4 Direction might rule it out, and some private estates will not allow it. Check before you plan.

Is commercial solar treated differently?

Yes. Commercial roof solar has its own permitted development rule, now with no size cap. Larger systems need prior approval, and the wall rule for conservation areas still applies.

What if the council says no?

Panels in a less visible place, such as a rear slope or a flat roof behind a parapet, are the usual alternative. Tell us early and we can look at the options.

Does this apply outside London?

This page covers England. Rules in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are different.

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.

Official guidance

• National solar permitted development rules