The government consultation on changes to various permitted development rights closed for responses on 9 April 2024, the Planning Portal reported. The consultation set out intentions to widen what can be done without a full planning application across several areas, including home extensions, upward extensions, demolition and rebuild, electric vehicle chargepoint infrastructure and air source heat pumps1.
On air source heat pumps, the consultation proposed removing the current limitation on installations within one metre of property boundaries, while still ensuring proper consideration of noise. It also proposed increasing the number of installations permitted per building, with a potential need to seek prior approval for more than one, and examining the other current limitations and conditions1. These proposals sit within the permitted development rights for home energy equipment regime, which sets out what can be installed without a full application.
For electric vehicle charging, the consultation proposed removing limits on where installation within off-street parking areas can take place, raising the height restrictions for upstands, and allowing certain equipment housing or storage cabinets to be installed in non-domestic locations1.
The consultation also covered wider building changes. On improvement and enlargement of homes, it proposed allowing more householders to erect larger extensions, loft extensions and roof alterations, and further flexibilities to permit bin and bike stores in front gardens. On upward extension of existing buildings, it proposed making buildings constructed before 1 July 1948 eligible, streamlining or simplifying the prior approval process, and considering how existing leaseholders can be safeguarded. On demolition of buildings to rebuild as homes, it proposed making buildings constructed from 1990 onwards eligible, removing eligibility for those built before 1930, allowing the rebuild to exceed the original building's footprint in certain cases, and reviewing the prior approval process1.
Separately, a change to increase the number of buildings eligible for commercial to residential conversion came into effect on 5 March 2024. Buildings no longer need to have been vacant for a minimum continuous period of three months immediately before the prior approval application is made, and buildings of any size are eligible, with the cumulative floorspace limit of 1,500 square metres removed1.
"Installation of air source heat pumps, By removing the current limitation on installations within one metre of property boundaries (but still ensuring proper consideration of noise), increasing the number of installations per building (with potential need to seek prior approval for more than one), and examining the other current limitations and conditions."
The consultation followed changes in December 2023, many of which focused on allowing greater freedom for installation of solar panels1. Where a local authority has used an Article 4 direction to withdraw permitted development rights, the national rules described here would not apply. In Scotland, separate size and location limits apply to air source heat pumps, covered in the site's guide to heat pump planning in Scotland.
Why it matters for households
Permitted development rights determine whether a householder can install equipment such as an air source heat pump or an electric vehicle chargepoint without submitting a full planning application. The one metre boundary limitation has been a practical constraint for heat pump siting, particularly on smaller or terraced plots, because it restricts where an outdoor unit can be placed relative to a neighbour's property. Removing that limitation, subject to noise consideration, would widen the range of viable locations. Allowing more than one installation per building, potentially with prior approval, is relevant to flats and buildings with multiple dwellings. For electric vehicle charging, removing limits on where installation can take place within off-street parking areas and raising upstand height restrictions affects households seeking to charge at home. The consultation's outcome is not yet decided, so the current rules remain in force until any changes are confirmed.
What happens next
The consultation closed on 9 April 2024. The Planning Portal said it would be watching for the outcome, as it would likely signal further updates to its website content and certain prior approval applications, and might introduce new types of prior approval applications1. No date for a government response has been reported.
Sources1 cited
- More permitted development changes on the horizon | Planning Portal Blog, blog.planningportal.co.uk