Planning permission for external wall insulation

Planning portal’s common projects page is a good place to start if you are doing any work on your property. There’s lots of useful information here about projects such as loft conversions, extensions and windows, but the advice for insulation is quite basic…

 

If your property isn’t listed and isn’t in a conservation area

(see below on how to double check this!)

Usually, and certainly in much of Urbane Eco’s experience, planning permission is not required for solid wall insulation when your property isn’t listed or in a conservation area. Guidelines do say that if the external appearance of your property will be significantly affected by external wall insulation, you may need planning permission. This is due to the change in the ‘street scape’. However, we have found that if other houses in your street have had the external appearance changed, Bristol City Council are generally supportive of external wall insulation being installed and as such will not require planning permission.

If you’re ever unsure it’s always best to contact your local planning department or seek professional advice.

Please note that we assume all necessary planning permissions have been obtained before we start work, and while we can advise to a certain extent about planning, it is your responsibility.

 

If your property is listed and/or is in a conservation area

If your property is in a conservation area or is listed, you will need to apply for planning permission, as there are more planning restrictions for both listed buildings and houses in conservation areas. There are 2433 listed buildings in Bristol alone – see English Heritage’s Listed Buildings Online.

Large parts of ‘older’ Bristol including Cotham and Redland, Sea Mills, Stapleton and Frome Valley, City Docks etc. are conservation areas. You can check whether your property falls in a conservation area on the council’s Urban Planning department’s Know Your Place website.

To apply for planning permission, please see the guidelines on your local authority’s website – see the Bristol council planning website.

Internal wall insulation is often a good option if you are not granted permission for external wall insulation.