Do I Need Planning Permission to Install A/C In My House?

This is one of the most common questions we get asked here at Quantech Environmental. In general, Planning Permission is not required for Air Conditioning units in domestic properties as long as the unit is installed in accordance with the conditions set down under Permitted Development Rights. This means you won’t have to apply for planning permission but there are exceptions, for example; If your house is in a Conservation Area, or in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, or, if your house is a listed building. So, what are the conditions of Permitted Development Rights?

• The external unit is not installed on a pitched roof or a chimney breast
• There is no wind turbine at the property
• The external unit is not installed within 1 metre of the edge of a flat roof
• The volume of the external condensing unit (the outdoor unit) is not more than 0.6m³
• The condensing unit is more than 1 metre away from the boundary of the property
• The condensing unit is sited at ground floor level
• There is only one condensing unit on the property.

Whilst neighbours cannot complain to the council about the appearance or the aesthetic of your outdoor unit, they can do so on the grounds of it being too noisy. This can be complicated to get right, as noise levels are subjective so please do get advice from us at HAC on this matter.