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Planning Update: 1 Metre Boundary Rule for Heat Pumps Has Been Scrapped

 
Government Schemes, Regulations, Planning & Organisations
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Mars
 Mars
(@editor)
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Joined: 4 years ago
Posts: 3239
Topic starter 10/05/2025 11:00 pm  

Some welcome news from Westminster. As of 29 May 2025, the 1m boundary restriction for domestic air source heat pump installations will officially be removed in England. The change forms part of a broader amendment to planning legislation (The Town and Country Planning General Permitted Development Order 2025) and represents a win for common sense and progress in electrifying heat.

For years, this restriction has made life harder for homeowners in terraced and semi-detached homes, particularly those with limited outdoor space. Under the old rule, heat pumps were only allowed under permitted development if sited at least one metre from a property boundary. That pushed a lot of installations into full planning territory, costly, slow and often totally unnecessary.

This amendment quietly strikes out that clause. So from the end of May, the one-metre rule is gone. That means more homeowners will be able to install a heat pump without jumping through planning hoops, which could help speed things up and reduce overall project costs.

This is a real-world improvement that reflects what homeowners and installers have been saying for years. Many perfectly viable installs have either been delayed, cancelled or made unnecessarily awkward because of a planning technicality. In some cases, units had to be wall-mounted or bracketed in odd places just to comply.

Noise restrictions haven’t been forgotten. Installations still need to comply with updated MCS 020 standards, but overall this feels like a solid step in the right direction. Installers should be able to site heat pumps more appropriately now, without sacrificing efficiency or aesthetics just to tick a planning box.

 

This topic was modified 3 weeks ago by Mars

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 JamesPa
(@jamespa)
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Joined: 2 years ago
Posts: 2494
11/05/2025 1:36 am  

This is indeed welcome news.  In  addition the new legislation:

Increases the maximum volume under pd to 1.5cu m other than for flats where it remains at 0.6cu m

Allows 2 heat pumps within the curtilege of a detached house.

The noise calculations have been completely rewritten albeit that in most cases the result will be the same.  There is now a definition of 'substantial barrier' however it contains text which is unclear and which mcs have so far been unable to clarify ( I have challenged them on this, they are looking into it. I also challenged them on a schoolboy error in the formula which now appears to have been corrected)

Also the definition of  'MCS planning standards' has been redefined in the legislation and, taking this together with the revised noise calculation document, it appears (subject to confirmation if anyone else has a different interpretation) to remove altogether the requirement that the installation is to mcs standards (other than in respect of noise) and undertaken by an mcs contractor, thus opening the possibility of  diy installs under pd (or indeed installs by non mcs plumbers).  Of course such installs will still need to conform to the separate BUS rules if a grant is claimed.

The order making the changes is here

The revised noise calculation is here

 

All in all a very satisfactory set of changes IMHO (other than the lack of precision in definition from mcs.

 

4kW peak of solar PV since 2011; EV and a 1930s house which has been partially renovated to improve its efficiency. 7kW Vaillant heat pump.


   
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 ASHP-BOBBA
(@ashp-bobba)
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Joined: 6 months ago
Posts: 146
17/05/2025 2:35 pm  

Finally happen then 🙂 I was waiting for this for a long time.

Happy days 

Professional installer. Book a one-to-one consultation for pre- and post-installation advice, troubleshooting and system optimisation.


   
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 Old_Scientist
(@old_scientist)
Reputable Member Member
Joined: 12 months ago
Posts: 161
19/05/2025 5:16 am  

@editor Do you know what the  current regulations are for Wales, and if these are also being updated?

I'm keen to have our ASHP moved as soon as the regulations are relaxed as the installed location is far from ideal and could be easily improved and primary pipe runs shortened as a result.

Samsung 12kW gen6 ASHP with 50L volumiser and all new large radiators. 3.645kWp solar (south facing), Fox ESS inverter.
Solar generation completely offsets ASHP usage annually. We no longer burn ~1600L of kerosene annually.


   
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 JamesPa
(@jamespa)
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Joined: 2 years ago
Posts: 2494
19/05/2025 12:59 pm  

The order, despite it's title, appears to apply to England and Wales, see article 1

This post was modified 2 weeks ago by JamesPa

4kW peak of solar PV since 2011; EV and a 1930s house which has been partially renovated to improve its efficiency. 7kW Vaillant heat pump.


   
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 Old_Scientist
(@old_scientist)
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Joined: 12 months ago
Posts: 161
19/05/2025 4:12 pm  

Posted by: @jamespa
↑

The order, despite it's title, appears to apply to England and Wales, see article 1

 

Indeed it does. Brilliant, thanks @jamespa

 

Samsung 12kW gen6 ASHP with 50L volumiser and all new large radiators. 3.645kWp solar (south facing), Fox ESS inverter.
Solar generation completely offsets ASHP usage annually. We no longer burn ~1600L of kerosene annually.


   
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Mars
 Mars
(@editor)
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Joined: 4 years ago
Posts: 3239
Topic starter 20/05/2025 7:50 am  

Most legislation covers England and Wales, and it’s Scotland that has its own very distinctive rules and regulations.

Buy Bodge Buster – Homeowner Air Source Heat Pump Installation Guide: https://amzn.to/3NVndlU
From Zero to Heat Pump Hero: https://amzn.to/4bWkPFb

Subscribe and follow our Homeowners’ Q&A heat pump podcast


   
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 Anonymous 5011
(@Anonymous 5011)
Noble Member
Joined: 2 years ago
Posts: 563
20/05/2025 9:26 am  

In Scotland they still follow the MCS rules, so the noise one should just role over in it's latest revision.


   
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