No, not usually. However there are some exceptions.
A heat pump is deemed as ‘permitted development’. That means that in most cases you can just get on with it. However (as usual) there are some rules attached, which particularly affect smaller properties.
The main blocker for some households is that heat pumps can not be installed within 1 metre of the property boundary without planning permission.
Here’s a summary of all the cases where permitted development does not apply (i.e. where you would need to apply for planning permission):
- (a) Installation results in multiple air source heat pumps on the same building or its grounds.
- (b) A wind turbine is installed with an air source heat pump on the same building or grounds.
- (c) A standalone wind turbine is installed with an air source heat pump within the building’s grounds.
- (d) The air source heat pump’s outdoor compressor unit exceeds 0.6 cubic metres.
- (e) Any part of the air source heat pump is within 1 metre of the property boundary.
- (f) The air source heat pump is installed on a pitched roof.
- (g) The air source heat pump is installed within 1 meter of the edge on a flat roof
- (h) Installation of the air source heat pump on a scheduled monument site.
- (i) Installation on a listed building or within its grounds.
- (j) In conservation areas or World Heritage Sites, the air source heat pump:
- (i) would be installed on a wall or roof facing a highway.
- (ii) would be closer to any boundary highway than the nearest part of the building.
- (k) On non-conservation land, the air source heat pump:
- (i) would be installed on a wall facing a highway.
- (ii) would be placed above ground floor level on that wall.
You can read the original list (and lots more legalese) on the legislation.gov.uk site.
If you do need to apply for planning permission, you can find out more on your local government website – there’s a handy tool on gov.uk if you can’t find yours.
