New planning rules designed to speed up heat pump installations have come into force.
Changes to permitted development rights (PDRs) for heat pumps in England, which cut out the need to submit a full planning application, were introduced on May 29.
They include:
- Increasing the size limit of the heat pump for dwellings from 0.6m3to 1.5m3
- Removing the 1m boundary rule, enabling air source heat pumps to be installed within 1m of the property boundary
- Doubling the number of heat pumps permitted per detached dwelling from one to two
- Allowing for air source heat pumps that can be used for cooling as well as heating –facilitating the role out of air-to-air models.
However, restrictions will continue to apply to listed buildings.
In addition, the changes to PDRs for heat pumps do not cover Scotland and Wales.
When installed under a PDR, heat pumps must also comply with a noise assessment methodology, which assesses the upper noise limit at the nearest neighbouring habitable room window or door, as part of the Microgeneration Certification Scheme Planning Standard.
