Planning applications axed to boost heat pumps

Home owners have received an incentive to install a heat pump which will lead to cheaper green energy.

Recent legislation has come into force allowing residents in England to put a heat pump within one metre of their property’s boundary without now having to submit a planning application.

The changes, which came into force at the end of May, include:

•  Changing the rules so enabling air source heat pumps to be installed within one metre of the property boundary without needing planning permission.
•  Increasing the size limit of the heat pump for dwellinghouses from 0.6m3 to 1.5m3.
•  Doubling the number of heat pumps permitted per detached dwellinghouse, from one to two.

Alllowing for air source heat pumps that can be used for cooling as well as heating – facilitating the roll-out of air-to-air models which will give consumers more choice.

“This is an excellent news,” said Ron, of Noreus Ltd on the University of Keele Science and Innovation Park, “as it will unlock even more savings, cut unnecessary paperwork and will help people who may have less space outside their home make the upgrade to clean power.”

He was supported by the energy company Octopus who said 34 per cent of those who order a heat pump change their mind when they have to submit a planning application.

But the first quarter of 2025 between January and March saw a record number of 11,256 applications to BUS (the Boiler Upgrade Scheme), up 73 per cent from the same period in 2024.

This is a UK government initiative designed to encourage the installation of low-carbon heating systems like heat pumps and biomass boilers in homes and small businesses.

It provides capital grants up to £7,500 to offset the cost of replacing fossil fuel heating systems with these greener alternatives. This move can save people around £100 a year by using a smart tariff effectively.

Another boost for heat pumps came from the Energy Secretary Ed Miliband who announced that his Future Homes Standard policy will be published in the autumn and aims to make new homes more energy efficient.

Under proposed changes, gas boilers will effectively be banned in new homes and replaced by heat pumps, cutting people’s energy bills and boosting the nation’s energy security with clean, home-grown power.

Ron explained that an air source heat pump is an environmentally-friendly alternative to central heating. An outdoor unit takes heat from the air outside and transfers it to an indoor unit, where it’s used to generate hot water, which can then be used to heat the house, domestic water, radiators or under-floor heating.

The indoor unit uses heat from the air outside, whereas a conventional central heating boiler uses gas.

In simple terms, said Ron, an air source heat pump works a bit like a fridge, only in reverse. Fridges help preserve food by removing the heat from the inside of the appliance and creating cool air, which is then circulated to keep food fresh. Air source heat pumps absorb heat from the outside air and the heat pump compressor then increases the temperature to create heat.

He said the benefits of an air source heat pump were:

• Heats your home and your water.
• Reduces energy costs.
• Minimal maintenance.
• Lower carbon emissions.
• Heats and cools your conservatory, meaning you can use it 365 days a year.

This solution pays for itself after the first few years and is a great investment in your home.

The UK government aims to install 600,000 heat pumps per year by 2028 and 1.6 million heat pumps annually by 2035, according to the National Audit Office (NAQ) and Parliament.

For those wanting more advice about heat pumps for their homes, call Ron on 0845 474 6641 or contact us here.

Caption: Pumping up the incentives for more home owners to install heat pumps.