Air Conditioning Planning Permission For Listed Buildings – Do You Need It?

If you live in a listed building, you will likely be asking whether air conditioning units need planning permission.

A listed building is a property that cannot be modified without the consent of a local authority because it has a particular architectural or historic interest.

Living in a listed building can offer fantastic experiences and many advantages. These buildings often have unique designs, are located in lovely surroundings, and have unique personalities. However, bringing additional changes to a listed building is not easy. This is especially true if those modifications are related to the exterior aspect. One of the most common issues for people who live in a listed building is installing air conditioning.

Installing conventional air conditioning requires drilling holes and placing an outside unit that can affect the exterior design. You must seek planning permission and guidance from your local government to install air conditioning on a listed property. There are many possibilities regarding installation settings and circumstances. However, they all have to follow the rules imposed by the authorities.

Conventional air conditioning systems require planning permission. However, with the fully internal air conditioning systems we offer at Cool You, you do not need to seek planning permission.

No planning permission is needed for our air conditioning systems For Listed Buildings!

No permission is required for our air conditioning system. Our systems do not have an external box which needs to be fixed to the exterior of your property. Instead, two components are installed. A slim wall-mounted room unit and a small condenser connected by discreet refrigeration pipework. Both are fitted fully internally in the same way a washing machine or dishwasher would be.

To find out more about this, please see the below video from our Managing Director, Savva:

Planning Rules With Listed Buildings.

Rules regarding air conditioning installation have changed and have become more flexible for most buildings. However, a few stipulations must be met regarding listed buildings. Therefore, before deciding which air conditioning company you will employ, you have to be aware that the installation is not permitted if:

• When air conditioning is installed, the development will result in more than one air source pump in the same building.
• A wind turbine will be set up on the same building or block of flats.
• The volume of the outdoor compressor unit would exceed 0.6 cubic metres
• The air source heat pump would be installed on a pitched or a flat roof and within one metre of the external edge of that roof
• The unit will have an impact on the external appearance of the building

You can find more details and conditions on the gov.uk website.

With all this in mind, there is a chance that your local authorities will not give you consent to install your air conditioning unit. They will want to preserve the natural, original look of the building structure.

Moreover, suppose you decide to do it without consent. In that case, you must be aware that failure to comply with the stipulations can lead to the enforced removal of the air conditioning facilities and rehabilitation of the property back to its original condition.

In this case, you may want to refocus your search on air conditioning without an outside unit. We have significant experience in dealing with the difficult requirements of installing air conditioning in law-protected buildings. Find out more about our air conditioning for listed buildings.