A homeowner in Wales was told he needed to apply for planning permission for his heat pump because of a lesser known planning rule.
Tim Croker from Chepstow, Monmouthshire, was told he needed planning permission for his air source heat pump because it was within three metres of a neighbouring property.
Although planning was approved for the heat pump, Mr Croker was told the heat pump must be in “brick or timber housing” despite no noise concerns or visual concerns.
What was the planning application for?
Mr Croker sought to replace a gas boiler and install an air source heat pump in his back garden.
The heat pump was fitted one metre away from the boundary of a neighbour’s wooden fence and two metres from a patio door.
The heat pump, a Daikin Altherma 3 Low Capacity Monobloc EDLA-E 4kW, that has a sound pressure level of 44 dBA and would use an existing pipework and required no alterations to the exterior of the building.
Mr Croker’s plan was to make his house “entirely fossil-fuel free” he said in a Covering Letter.
Why did the heat pump need planning permission?
Heat pumps normally qualify under permitted development rights, meaning residents do not need to apply for planning permission but can still be required to under certain conditions.
One such condition is that the heat pump must be a certain distance from a neighbouring property’s boundary, with this being one metre in England.
However, in Wales the distance from the boundary required is three metres meaning it did not qualify for permitted development rights.
Heat pump required to be in ‘brick or timber housing’
Monmouthshire County Council said “the addition of an air source heat pump is welcomed” but only if it is “within a suitable brick or timber housing”.
The heat pump was being “modest in size” and “will largely be screened by the existing boundary fences” thus having limited visual impact on the surrounding area.
No works shall commence on site until details of a means of enclosure for the air source heat pump within a suitable brick or timber housing, have been submitted to and agreed by the local planning authority.
Despite no “unacceptable noise impact” being reported from the heat pump and no objections from neighbours the council said: “No works shall commence on site until details of a means of enclosure for the air source heat pump within a suitable brick or timber housing, have been submitted to and agreed by the local planning authority.”
Homebuilding & Renovating have contacted the council for clarification over why this was necessary but have yet to receive a response.
