England: Planning rules on air source heat pumps to be relaxed

Following consultation covering the current permitted development rules around air source heat pumps earlier this year, Government have announced the relaxation of permitted development rules in England. In a letter to the the Energy and Net Zero Committee Miatta Fahnbuelleh, Minister for Energy Consumers, set out the changes. She stated that an independent review of noise emissions from air source heat pumps, published in November 2023, found that modern heat pumps are generally perceived as quiet and result in few noise complaints, and that current planning rules can be an unnecessary barrier to the installation of air source heat pumps. The Government has decided to remove the rule that an air source heat pump cannot be installed within 1 metre of a property boundary; to increase the permissible size limit of an air source heat pump to 1.5m3 (to support even quieter heat pump models); to increase the number of air source heat pump units that can be installed on detached dwellinghouses from one to two, thereby allowing those who need cascade systems to use permitted development rights, and allowing air-to-air heat pumps to utilise them. In responding to the consultation the IOA agreed that having a fixed setback distance is an overly simplistic proxy for controlling noise impact, and that a performance-based approach allowing heat pumps to be situated closer to boundaries, as long as they comply with an appropriate noise criterion at nearby receptors, aligns better with standard noise control practices.

These changes will be implemented into law as soon as parliamentary time allows. The move is one of a number of measures announced as part of Government plans for warmer homes and lower energy bills.