By Kari Williamson

Air source heat pumps were not classified as a permitted development due to concerns about potential noise caused by the equipment, and were therefore subject to planning permission in England up until 1 December.

The ruling now exempts these from planning permission regulations, but installations still have to comply with certain criteria: There has to be no wind turbine already installed at the property and there are also limitations on the size of the unit, with listed buildings and those in conservation areas and World Heritage Sites having to meet additional criteria.