New planning rules which came into force on 29th May have removed the rule that no air source heat pump can be fitted within one meter of the boundary of a property in England.
Introduced as part of the government’s Warm Homes Plan, the new permitted development rights also double the number of air source heat pumps permitted, from one to two for detached dwellings, allowing cascade systems to benefit from the same rules as individual units. The potential size of the units under permitted development has also increased, from 0.6m3 to 1.5m3.
Different arrangements remain in place in the other devolved administrations, although the Welsh government is currently consulting upon similar changes and it is thought that they will be brought into effect as soon as possible.
Before the announced change, homeowners needed planning permission if they wanted to install a heat pump within one metre of their neighbour’s property amid concerns over noise. This meant that in locations where homes are close together or terraced, the former rule would often delay heat pump installations.
According to Octopus Energy, the previous planning rule was affecting 27% of its customers. In a submission to Parliament’s Energy Security and Net Zero (ESNZ) Committee in 2023, the utility company said that: “Those who try to proceed end up waiting an additional eight to 10 weeks on average. Even if customers meet all the requirements, there is no guarantee that local councils will grant the permission, as they all have different interpretations of central planning guidelines. The combined impact of all these things mean that very few of the 27% of customers who require planning have made it to install.”
Some people have previously complained about heat pump noise, saying they can sound similar to industrial fan units found by restaurant kitchens, however according to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, heat pumps typically have sound levels ‘similar to a fridge’.
The government department said it commissioned independent research last year which concluded that noise complaints from air source heat pumps were rare and that heat pumps were generally perceived as being very quiet.
Market boost
The relaxation in rules has been welcomed by heat pump manufacturers, believing that they will provide a further boost to heat pumps.
“These reforms will remove some of the most common barriers that previously slowed down installation,” says Mark Wilkins, technology and solutions portfolio director at Vaillant UK. “The reforms represent a meaningful step toward faster decarbonisation of home heating, cutting administrative barriers and helping more households transition to clean, efficient technologies without the added burden of a planning application. The journey to a heat pump will now be significantly easier for households in England.”
Hamid Salimi, national product manager at Daikin UK, adds: “Daikin fully supports these regulatory changes, recognising their potential to broaden the access to heat pumps in the UK, with many households now considering them as viable alternatives to traditional heating systems. Through the simplification of installation processes, we hope to see an even greater uptake of heat pumps across the UK, which would be a significant step towards achieving the UK’s target of Net Zero by 2050.”
Martyn Bridges, director of external affairs at Worcester Bosch, has issued an equally positive response: “We think this is a positive move as most heat pumps today are almost silent, compared to the ones available 14 years ago when this planning requirement was first introduced.
“The 1m distance was always a ‘blunt sword’ as this wasn’t measured from the neighbouring house, but the boundary fence. The neighbouring house could have been 4m away from the boundary and therefore oblivious to any noise – deeming the required distance obsolete.
“We are optimistic that removing these barriers should enable a far easier installation route and therefore assist with the increase of heat pump intake.”
Meanwhile, Octopus Energy has recently revealed data that suggests that almost all (94%) of its customers with heat pumps think the systems are as comfortable or more comfortable than their previous gas boilers. The same survey also showed that 85% of respondents said that they cost the same or less to run and 86% reported that their heat pump was as quiet or quieter than their gas boiler.
Rebecca Dibb-Simkin, chief product officer at Octopus Energy, comments: “Our customers tell us loud and clear that heat pumps are quiet, cosy and affordable – and the data backs them up. But we’re still asking them to jump through hoops because of old-fashioned noise rules, even though heat pumps are quieter than fridges and sit outside.”
