Anyone help with placement of a Air source heat pump?

[crossie]

From Google search it say this below:

"Key Conditions for Permitted Development
For Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHPs):
Size: The outdoor unit's volume must not exceed 1.5 cubic metres for houses (0.6 cubic metres for flats).
Placement:
Not on a pitched roof, or on a wall/roof facing a highway.
Must be more than 3 meters from the property boundary (or 1 meter from a flat roof edge).
The rules were relaxed in May 2025 to allow installation closer to boundaries.
Noise: The installation must meet a calculated sound level of 42dB(A) or less at the property boundary.
Other: No more than one ASHP is allowed per property, and it can't be installed if a standalone wind turbine is already present."


My question is

Is the 3 meter boundary rule still correct or has this been altered in the May 2025 relaxing of the rules?

[Pistonsquirter]

I heard that has been changed too. And notice almost everyone sites them right up close to their house wall. Check your local town planning guidance on the council website?

This was my plan too but I am warming to the idea of siting it right down the garden in a little dog kennel type shed with that insulated direct burial pipe-in-duct stuff. Not a fan of a great big hearing aid beige box next to my period correct Victorian 'ouse neiver!!


(Excuse the pun)

[GasEngineer]

It's now <1m as long as the noise limits are met.

Edited by GasEngineer on Monday 3rd November 15:53

[OutInTheShed]

GasEngineer said:

It's now 1m as long as the noise limits are met.

I think that can be a struggle without acoustic fencing and the like.

[GliderRider]

crossie said:

From Google search it say this below:

"Key Conditions for Permitted Development
For Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHPs):
...
Other: No more than one ASHP is allowed per property, and it can't be installed if a standalone wind turbine is already present."
...

Well that's news to me. We have three of them all independent from each other on the one property.
No wind turbine yet though...

[Cheib]

GliderRider said:

crossie said:

From Google search it say this below:

"Key Conditions for Permitted Development
For Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHPs):
...
Other: No more than one ASHP is allowed per property, and it can't be installed if a standalone wind turbine is already present."
...

Well that's news to me. We have three of them all independent from each other on the one property.
No wind turbine yet though...

Just did some reading as we had two ASHP’s installed last year. I’m assuming they comply as we have had certification and BUS grant etc.

According to this link planning is required for more than two heat pump’s

https://www.grantuk.com/about/blog/do-grant-heat-p...

[gmaz]

I have the install & siting manual for an Octopus Cosy 6 if that is any use to you? 16MB pdf so I can email it.

[crossie]

gmaz said:

I have the install & siting manual for an Octopus Cosy 6 if that is any use to you? 16MB pdf so I can email it.

Thanks

Am just interesting in if they can sit next to a boundary fence or if they need to be at least a meter away from the boundary

[GasEngineer]

crossie said:

Thanks

Am just interesting in if they can sit next to a boundary fence or if they need to be at least a meter away from the boundary

Sorry just to correct my comment above it can be less than 1m as long as the noise conditions are met.

[langy]

Our ASHP is approx 1.5m from boundary fence and 2.5-3m from adjacent property. Only window on that elevation is a bathroom.

Our ASHP is very quiet (48db) and distance wasn’t flagged as issue by Octopus or the people who eventually done our install.

The rules did change a few months back to reduce min distance.