Air conditioning unit on side of neighbour's house - best approach?

Doc_N

mjm3346 said:

If they are forced to move it there is nothing in planning regs to stop them simply mounting a box in it's place that is not connected to anything (perhaps a nice large white bird box)

Nice idea, but it wouldn't work - you'd still need planning permission for the box. You even need PP for a flagpole, subject to certain stated exceptions.

SouthLondonUser

ispookie666 said:

We are going off on a tangent. 
The planning rules regarding these are very grey, when I contacted south Cambridgeshire, they had no interest in it, if I was installing single unit. As I was having two units installed, I applied for permission.  I got fed up of waiting and just installed it. I did not require noise assessment for the 3.5kw units. But if I wanted to install the bigger one(7.1 kw) they did ask for one.  Before anyone jumps on about this, I have a 40yr old oil boiler and in no way can make any economic sense to get a water based ASHP. 

The amount of condensate produced while cooling is going to be a factor if anyone is thinking of ASHP with circulating water. 

The thing about 3.5kw units not needing noise assessment is new to me. Either it is a very specific rule which only your council has, or whoever you talked to didn't know what he was talking about (a rather common phenomenon, in my experience, when it comes to aircon and planning permission).

What I am trying to say is that I would never rely on something a bloke from the council said on the phone, I'd want something in writing. But of course to each their own - I hope for you you don't have the same neighbour from hell I do.

mat1964 said:

I installed AC a year ago.  Hid the unit at ground level at the side of the house and no planning permission was needed.

Do you mean you got a confirmation in writing from the council that no planning permission was needed? Or that you installed it without one and have so far managed to get away with it? Please elaborate.

As for retrospective planning permission: will it be granted if the unit is considered too loud? Remember, it has to be 20 dB less loud than the average background noise. If you live in a quiet terrace, the only way to achieve that is with an ugly expensive and bulky noise-dampening enclosure.

As for the 4-year rule: I know a guy who is replacing his aircon with an internal water-cooled system, because his old system broke and he can't replace it.

mjm3346

Doc_N said:

mjm3346 said:

If they are forced to move it there is nothing in planning regs to stop them simply mounting a box in it's place that is not connected to anything (perhaps a nice large white bird box)

Nice idea, but it wouldn't work - you'd still need planning permission for the box. You even need PP for a flagpole, subject to certain stated exceptions.

There are plenty of things they could mount without requiring any planning permission (as far as I can tell this is not a conservation zone), although do not know how far the property boundary actually is from the property

Monsternextdoor

Has the op actually gone to the council yet ? or did he have a word and told them that they need to ask village permission before farting in the garden ?

SouthLondonUser

Isn't there a rule whereby farts are allowed only if they don't exceed the average noise and intensity of all other village farts, as assessed by a PFA (professional farting assessor) who must take appropriate measurements, including the impact of the wind?

Monsternextdoor

I think that only applies if a coconut laden swallow is flying overhead.

SouthLondonUser

Monsternextdoor said:

I think that only applies if a coconut laden swallow is flying overhead.

What if the applicant uses this mobile operator? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wind_(Italy)

Monsternextdoor

SouthLondonUser said:

Monsternextdoor said:

I think that only applies if a coconut laden swallow is flying overhead.

What if the applicant uses this mobile operator? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wind_(Italy)

Ooosh now the neighbour could have a mast in his garden, 5g, Bill gates and aircon units ! 

ispookie666

Resurrecting an old thread.  
Just about to apply for planning permission to install the bigger (7.1KW) heat pump, waiting for companies which do noise survey to quote me