Anyone Else Have to Apply for Planning Permission Due to Being Marginally over Noise Limit? - Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHPs)

RE: Anyone Else Have to Apply for Planning Permission Due to Being Marginally over Noise Limit?

JamesPa — Sun, 20 Aug 2023 08:02:26 +0000

I applied for planning consent at a time in my journey when I was despairing of finding an MCS contractor to do the job. The LPA demanded, and is still demanding, that achieve a performance 10dB below the MCS level(!) which is simply not possible in any reasonable way unless I locate it, at vast additional cost, 20m down the garden. I have heard of others who have similar experiences. My LPA have also said that any future applications for heat pumps will not even be considered unless they are accompanied by a noise impact assessment. And this is an LPA run by the Green Party!

Luckily I have now found an MCS contractor who will do a sensible job at a sensible price. So I will be going down this route under PD instead. Im making especially sure that it does meet the MCS/PD rules in case I get challenged (having raised the issue with the LPA).

If you can find a way to meet MCS-020 my strong recommendation is to do so. Fences/screens/different location or choose a quieter model. As stated upthread the 'standard' Daikin is on the noisy side (their HT unit is quiet), there are several others equally quiet.

RE: Anyone Else Have to Apply for Planning Permission Due to Being Marginally over Noise Limit?

DougMLancs — Sat, 19 Aug 2023 18:53:04 +0000

This guy had just your problem but by 0.5dBs! https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6439483/air-source-heat-pump-planning-permission-required/p1

A very long thread with a lot of back and forth with the LA. In the end they were happy for him to position at the front of his house which then met noise criteria.

FWIW Daikin units are on the noisy side on paper- an alternative Manufacturer might well solve your problem. My 9kW Panasonic Aquarea L is only 56dBs.

Anyone Else Have to Apply for Planning Permission Due to Being Marginally over Noise Limit?

RutlandFP — Sat, 19 Aug 2023 14:29:28 +0000

Hey there.
Had an ASHP survey carried out this week. Using the MCS020 guidelines and formula, the 9kW Daikin pump our supplier fits delivered the result 43dBs, just 1dB over the limit for Permitted Development. The spec for the unit states Sound Power of 62dBs.

We can't site the pump anywhere else and using the results we've been given by the surveyor (which I've double checked this morning ) we need a unit with comparable power whose Sound Power is specified as 59dBs or less.

The alternative is sticking with the first supplier and applying for planning permission. Costs £266 so I'm kind of reluctant over a single decibel. I imagine mitigations might be required which in our case would likely have to be an acoustic enclosure followed by an independent noise test. Not cheap!

Interested to hear from anyone in a similar position with a noise rating under MCS regs over 42dBs.
Did you have to apply for planning?
Did you have to provide any mitigations.
What were they?

Thanks in advance.