Free planning advice is available for residents if you are considering air source heat pumps or other energy efficiency measures via our Duty Planning Service
Illustration of a cross-section of a house showing the air-source heat pump unit beside the house, blue and yellow arrows showing incoming air into the heat pump and red arrows showing warm air entering the house for the purpose of heating.
Air source heat pumps (ASHPs) are a form of low-carbon heating and an alternative to gas boilers.
They operate by absorbing heat from outside air to provide heating.
Air source heat pumps work at lower temperatures that gas boilers. This means they work most efficient in buildings that are:
- well insulated and draught proofed
- have either underfloor or warm air heating.
Planning permission
ASHPs do not normally require planning permission, except where:
- the ASHP does not meet the Government's Microgeneration Certification Scheme Planning Standards (MSC 020) or equivalent
- installation results in more than 1 ASHP within the boundary of dwelling that is not a detached house (e.g. flat, terrace, semi-detached) or more than 2 ASHPs within the boundary of a detached house
- an ASHP and a wind turbine are on the same building or within the same boundary
- the volume of the ASHP (including housing) exceeds 1.5 cubic metres (for a house) or 0.6 cubic metres (for a flat)
- it would be on a pitched roof or on a flat roof within 1m of the edge of that roof
- it is installed on building or within boundary of a listed building or site of a scheduled monument
- it is in conservation area and is on a wall or a roof which fronts a highway or is nearer to any highway than the house or block of flats which is nearest to that highway
- it is outside a conservation area and the ASHP is on a wall that fronts a highway and any part of that wall is above the level of the ground floor storey
- the ASHP is not solely used for the purpose of cooling.
If planning permission is required you will need to submit an application, this should include details of:
- location, design and appearance
- noise and vibration
- efficiency of the unit.
Note: ASHP are best sited at the rear and away from neighbouring properties as far as practicable.
Where permission is not required:
- ASHP, as far as practicable, should be sited so as to minimise its effect on the external appearance of the building
- ASHP, so far as practicable, should be sited so as to minimise its effect on the amenity of the area
- ASHP should be removed as soon as reasonably practicable when no longer needed.