Hi Mars,

The permitted development rules for ASHP are nationwide and are on the planning portal HERE

My planning permission application is on Stafford Council planning site HERE if the link doesn't work go to Stafford Planning site and search for ASHP.

My boundary is 7m away and my neighbours property is immediately on the other side of the boundary fence. They have a small kitchen window which is located 8m from the location I want to install the ASHP.

What's not clear is what guidelines the council are using. Back in 2012 the Government issued a standard (for complete document

) which states that the installation of the ASHP should create a noise level of 42db or lower 1m from the nearest habitable window in the neighbours property. A habitable space within a property is where you sit or lie down and require a low level of noise, so kitchens aren't habitable space, neither are conservatories for planning purposes.

However the council seem to be ignoring these guidelines and have referred my application to Environmental Services, who also don't seem to be following the government guidelines on ASHP installations either and they going to do an assessment of the noise, including in my neighbours gardens - one of my neighbours who lives 30m+ away has raised objections!

I'm convinced we will be well within the government standards but I think the council are going to recommend a different location for the heat pump based on the inaccurate and uneducated concerns raised by my neighbours. This will make the whole project unviable as it will cost £5,000+ for me to dig up my drive, re-route all the sewage pipes which would be in the way of the ASHP pipework and pay for the insulated pipework required.

@chaplito, that sounds like a tricky situation. The neighbour that resides 30m away should not be a consideration, as they won't hear or be affected by the heat pump in any way.

Have Global had any recommendations and/or insights? 

@chapalito, I was under the impression planning permission could only be refused if it breached guidelines and not because someone simply didn't like what you proposed.  None of the neighbours have any valid objections and the nonsense with the microwave is laughable.  You're clearly well within the guidelines and if you are refused, it would be interesting to know on what grounds.  It's probably the case that the planning folks don't have any experience of ASHPs.  

Is the only reason you need PP the physical size of your ASHP?  How much over the 0.6m3 limit is it?  As I said, ours will be just under 0.5m3. Maybe one solution would be to use a different ASHP and use PD.  

By the way, I can hear my neighbour's oil boiler running from outside my front door and they're about 30m away! 

Hi Chaplito,

If my understanding is correct, the need for planning permission is because of the size.

I would suggest contacting your MP, who may be able to offer some support.

@kev-m, I agree. Planning permission can only be rejected with just cause, but sadly planning officers often deal with applications that are beyond their comprehension and have to make decisions. I'd be super interested to see the grounds for refusal (if it does get refused), because then the UK government have a major issue on their hands in getting x-amount of heat pumps in by 2025. 

Hi Kev - Yes the only reason I need planning is because the size of the compressor. I've pointed this out to the planning folks numerous times but they persist with questioning the noise levels. When I first submitted the planning application they told me I didn't need to and I have to point them to the planning portal and the fact the unit was too big so they definitely are familiar with applications for ASHPs.

We did look at a smaller unit but the issue is in order to get the RHI payments the unit has to be sized to operate down to -3C which given the size of our house and the ECP rating we have had to go with the 18Kw unit. Admittedly I made the decision to go with Global Energy based on the lack of response from most of the other installers I contacted.

Out of interest which ASHP do you have and what's PD?

To Mars's question Global Energy have been very supportive through this process, doing multiple MCS surveys and providing lots of advice on how to deal with the council.

Whilst I don't think they'll turn down the application I think they'll put conditions on it, like building an enclosure or having us move the unit. I don't have too much of an issue with the enclosure but moving it to a different location will be pretty costly and I think it's unnecessary. 

@chaplito

PD.  Permitted Development not requiring PP?

@chaplito sorry yes PD = permitted development. Ours will be the Mitsubishi Ecodan 14kW. Dimensions are listed as 1350x1020x330.  That's more than enough for our house. 

As Mars says, if it's made too difficult people won't do it. Will be interested to see how it turns out for you.

@chaplito, you may have to enclose/screen it as you've said. I find it so frustrating when I hear stories like this, where we want the UK (and the world) to cut CO2 emissions, but there are people that are making the process unnecessarily complicated, which will put a lot of people off. 

I hope you get a positive outcome.

Having moved into a conservation area I thought it prudent to email my local council (Amber Valley, Derbyshire) and enquire as to the need for planning permission. I was shocked to learn they thought my house a listed building!  I informed them that very recent relevant searches by the solicitor carrying out the conveyance, conversation with previous owners and looking at land registry confirmed the contrary.  I asked for evidence of their claim and suggested I was aware that Langley Manor, a short distance away and our nearest neighbour, was a listed building.   Email today apologising for the mistake and confirming that my house is not listed and so long as certain conditions are met then the install of an ASHP is Permitted Development.

little wonder there is confusion!

Hi Morgan,

I am far from surprised by your revelation.

I have been trying to educate anyone who would listen, of the need to 'pay attention to detail', because as the saying goes 'the devil is in the detail'.

Unfortunately these days many are more interested in getting paid as much as possible for providing a mediocre service, rather than experiencing the satisfaction of a job well done.

Oh dear, I've fallen off my soap box again!!!

@Morgan, this is becoming a tad too common. We're in a period property, but it's not listed. Our farmhouse used to service the Grade listed hall, so planning (and even the heritage departments) have just assumed (they used a far more colourful term, which I forgot) we're listed, and we have to great pains to let them know otherwise. It's crazy, because it takes time to explain these things, and they should know this.

@derek-m, you are spot on. And please, by all means, step back on the soap box. 😀