Renovation
Upgrading windows and adding solar panels to a listed or period home in London: the consent shortcuts some boroughs now offer
Replacing single glazing or putting solar panels on a listed house normally means applying for listed building consent first. A growing number of London boroughs are granting that consent in advance for whole streets, on strict conditions. Here is how the system works and how to check whether it helps you.
Much of London's housing is listed or sits in a conservation area. Owners who want to cut heating bills often run into the same question: can I change the windows, or put solar panels on the roof, without a lengthy application? Two boroughs have recently given a clearer answer for some streets, using a little-known tool called a local listed building consent order. This article explains what those orders are, which ones exist in London today, and the permissions that still apply. It is general information, not planning or legal advice.
Why listed building consent matters
Under section 7 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, nobody may demolish, alter or extend a listed building in a way that affects its character as a building of special architectural or historic interest unless the work is authorised. This applies inside as well as outside, and to every grade of listing, including Grade II.
Carrying out unauthorised work is a criminal offence under section 9 of the same Act. On conviction in the Crown Court the penalty can be up to two years' imprisonment, a fine or both. Breaching a condition attached to a consent is also an offence. Councils can also take enforcement action to require unauthorised work to be put right.
Westminster City Council's guidance on replacing or upgrading windows puts it plainly: if your house or flat is listed, or within the curtilage of a listed building, you must apply for listed building consent for new windows, alterations to your windows or secondary glazing.
What a local listed building consent order is
Since 2013, section 26D of the 1990 Act has allowed a council to grant listed building consent in advance for specified works to a group of listed buildings in its area. This is a local listed building consent order, or LLBCO. If your home is covered and your work meets every condition in the order, you do not need to make an individual application.
London Councils, the body representing the capital's boroughs, describes these orders in its October 2025 guidance on planning mechanisms for retrofitting heritage homes. It notes that they are intended for minor, routine works such as windows and solar panels, that they cannot be used for demolition, and that they do not remove the need for planning permission where planning permission is normally required. Some orders also require you to send the council a notice or details before you start.
The orders now in force in London
Kensington and Chelsea: windows and solar panels
The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea has three orders, listed on its LLBCO page:
- Solar panels (made 18 May 2022). This covers solar PV panels on Grade II and most Grade II* buildings, with conditions so that panels are sensitively designed and positioned to avoid harming the building or the wider area. One condition requires details to be submitted to the council.
- Window works (made 18 May 2023). This covers certain alterations to windows in Grade II buildings only, including secondary glazing to any window. It also allows double-glazed windows or sealed units in existing frames in some cases, where the window being changed is itself a later replacement or a window in an extension, installed after listing with consent.
- Windows in the Queen's Gate, Pembridge and Holland Park conservation areas (made 20 March 2026). For Grade II buildings in those three areas, this allows machine-made float glass in one-over-one or two-over-two sash windows to be replaced with slimline double glazing. The order sets out the evidence you must send the council before using it.
The council's key decision report of 2 March 2026 says the newest order follows two rounds of consultation, including comments from Historic England, which found broad approval from residents and local amenity societies. Its stated aim is to make it faster and easier to retrofit historic buildings with more energy-efficient glazing while still protecting what is special about them.
Southwark: solar panels in two conservation areas
On 7 April 2026 Southwark Council adopted an order allowing solar panels on Grade II listed homes in the Sutherland Square and Liverpool Grove conservation areas, provided all its conditions are met. The council is clear that planning permission is still required for solar panels on listed buildings. Applications that meet the order's criteria may be fast-tracked, with a decision within 42 days instead of 56.
If there is no order for your street
Most listed homes in London are not covered by an order, so the normal route applies: an application for listed building consent, and planning permission where needed. Several practical steps can make it smoother.
- Check what you are dealing with. Confirm whether the house is listed and at what grade, whether it is in a conservation area, and whether an Article 4 direction removes permitted development rights. Westminster, for example, notes that it has eight areas where minor alterations in conservation areas are restricted.
- Start with what needs no consent. Westminster's retrofit guidance for householders notes that for unlisted houses, secondary glazing and draught-proofing do not need planning permission. On a listed building, even these need checking first.
- Use pre-application advice. Westminster offers a discounted pre-application rate for residents making environmental improvements, including to listed buildings. Kensington and Chelsea suggests its pre-application service, or a certificate of lawfulness of proposed works, if you are unsure whether an order covers you.
- Plan the whole house. Westminster recommends a retrofit plan that takes a whole-building approach, so measures work together and do not damage historic fabric. This matters in older solid-walled houses, where the wrong insulation or sealing can trap moisture.
- Remember Building Regulations. GOV.UK's guide to when you need building regulations approval lists replacing windows and doors and replacing roof coverings among the jobs that may need approval. You do not need to apply yourself if the installer is registered with a competent person scheme. Our guide to building regulations sign-off explains why the certificate matters when you sell.
Costs and funding
Slimline double glazing, secondary glazing and solar panels on period homes are specialist work, and prices vary widely with the size, condition and access of each window or roof. Get itemised quotes based on the conditions in any consent. Our London cost guide gives indicative ranges for larger projects, and our article on energy upgrade grants for London homeowners covers the schemes and deadlines that may help with the bill.
If you live in Kensington and Chelsea, Islington, Camden or Lambeth, you can request quotes from independent local builders once you know what consent you need. Home Builders does not carry out building work: we ask advertisers to provide proof of insurance, and any contract is between you and the builder you choose. For listed buildings, ask any firm about its experience of work to historic fabric.
Sources: Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, section 7; section 9; section 26D; Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea: local listed building consent orders; RBKC key decision KD1011358, 2 March 2026; Southwark Council: local listed building consent order; London Councils: the retrofit of London's heritage homes, planning mechanisms, October 2025; Westminster City Council: retrofit planning guidance for householders and replacing or upgrading your windows; GOV.UK: building regulations approval; Planning Portal. This article is a summary, not legal or planning advice; check the position for your property with your borough's planning and conservation team.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need listed building consent to replace windows in a listed house?
Usually, yes. Westminster City Council's guidance says listed building consent is needed for new windows, alterations to windows and secondary glazing in a listed building or within its curtilage. The exception is where a local listed building consent order covers your property and your work meets all its conditions.
What is a local listed building consent order?
It is a grant of listed building consent made in advance by the council, under section 26D of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, for specified works to a defined group of listed buildings. If your home is covered and you meet the conditions, you do not need an individual application.
Does an order mean I do not need planning permission?
No. An order deals only with listed building consent. Planning permission is still needed where it normally would be. Southwark, for example, says planning permission is still required for solar panels on listed buildings, although applications meeting its order's criteria may be decided faster.
How do I find out whether an order covers my home?
Check your borough's heritage or conservation pages and the order's map or list of addresses. If you are unsure, ask for pre-application advice or apply for a certificate of lawfulness of proposed works before you start.
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