Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what dwellinghouse (i) building standards and (ii) building regulations cover (a) standalone air conditioning units and (b) air to air heat pumps, and what noise limits apply to each.

There are no permitted development rights for standalone air conditioning units. However, in certain circumstances, planning permission is not required where it would not materially affect the external appearance of the building. Part P of the Building Regulations (electrical safety) may also apply to installing a standalone air conditioning unit, where a system or the wiring required for it is fixed to a building, so Building Control approval may need to be sought.

There is a permitted development right for domestic air source heat pumps. The right was amended in 2025 to allow for the heat pumps to also be used for cooling to permit the installation of air-to-air heat pumps.

The permitted development right requires that heat pump installations are compliant with the Microgeneration Certification Scheme 020 a) Planning Standard, which provides a noise assessment methodology including an upper noise limit at neighbouring habitable room windows.

Part L (energy efficiency) and P (electrical safety) of the Building Regulations must be complied with when installing an air-to-air heat pump, and it is possible Building Control approval may be needed.

Between 16 December 2025 and 10 March 2026, MHCLG consulted on a new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). That consultation, which can be found on gov.uk here, included proposals relating to noise pollution. We are currently analysing the feedback received and will publish our response in due course.