Planning rules are now easier for air source heat pumps (and EV chargers) in England
If you’ve been thinking about an air source heat pump but got stuck on “Will I need planning permission?”, this is a useful update.
England has relaxed permitted development rules for air source heat pumps, with changes aimed at removing common planning blockers and speeding up installs.
Here’s what’s changed, what still applies, and how to check your property fast.
Heat pump installs just got simpler in England — we’ll help you check eligibility and plan the best setup.
What changed
These updates are focused on dwellinghouses in England and are designed to reduce the cases where homeowners have to submit a planning application.
Key changes include:
1) The “1 metre from the boundary” restriction is removed
Previously, if the unit had to go within 1m of your boundary, you often needed planning. That specific blocker is being removed to give more siting flexibility.
2) Larger units are now allowed under permitted development
The maximum external unit size limit increases from 0.6m³ to 1.5m³ (for dwellinghouses), which helps many real-world installs where the best-performing unit is physically larger.
3) Some homes can install two heat pumps
Detached homes can be allowed two air source heat pumps under the updated rules, which is helpful for larger properties or higher heat demand.
4) Added flexibility for heating + cooling setups
The rules also recognise that some systems may provide cooling as well as heating, rather than treating it as automatically “out of scope.”
What hasn’t changed (still important)
Even with relaxed rules, it’s not “anything goes”.
Noise standards still matter
The permitted development route still relies on noise safeguards (including the MCS planning standard approach) to protect neighbours.
Visual/siting expectations still exist
There are still conditions intended to minimise visual impact, including siting the unit to reduce effect on appearance and removing it when no longer needed.
Listed buildings are still excluded
If your home is listed, permitted development for heat pumps doesn’t apply in the same way — you’ll likely need a planning route (and potentially listed building consent).
Conservation areas and heritage locations may have extra siting rules
Homes in conservation areas and World Heritage Sites can have different conditions around siting.
And if a local authority wants tighter controls in a specific area, they can use an Article 4 direction to remove permitted development rights locally.
Planning rules are now easier for air source heat pumps (and EV chargers) in England – simplified regulations mean fewer restrictions, making it quicker and more straightforward to install energy-efficient upgrades alongside your solar system.
Quick “is my home likely to qualify?” checklist
Most homes can be assessed quickly with a mix of satellite checks and a short survey. In practice, these are the things that make the decision:
Are you in England (rules differ across the UK)?
Is the property listed, or in a sensitive heritage setting?
Where can the outdoor unit go (side/rear usually easiest)?
Are there any obvious neighbour-distance or noise considerations?
If it looks borderline, we can tell you early — before you spend time going down the wrong path.
Charge your EV with solar and cut the cost per mile.
What about EV chargers?
A related update: permitted development for EV charging equipment has also been made easier in some areas — for example, changes include removing certain restrictions around equipment housing and extending some rights to non-domestic settings.
So if you’re planning solar + battery + EV charging + heat pump as one “home energy system”, it’s getting easier to do it without getting stuck in paperwork first.
Want us to sanity-check your property?
If you’re in Devon or Cornwall, we can quickly confirm whether your home is a good candidate, talk through likely unit locations, and advise if planning is likely to be needed.
Call 01752 916 013 or request a fixed quote and we’ll take it from there.
