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

Doc_N

Part of the problem here is that although planning permission IS actually required, most commercial websites such as this one suggest that it isn't:

https://www.quotatis.co.uk/advice/regulations/air-conditioning/planning-permission-air-conditioning-units/

You can install most air conditioning systems under permitted development rights. This means that you won’t need to apply to the local authority for planning permission. You can install many small air conditioning units in one room under these rights.

Maybe your neighbours genuinely thought they didn't need planning permission?  I looked into this a while back and reached exactly that conclusion.  Check the various local authority websites, though, and you get a very different story.

SuperHung

Doc_N said:

Part of the problem here is that although planning permission IS actually required, most commercial websites such as this one suggest that it isn't:

https://www.quotatis.co.uk/advice/regulations/air-conditioning/planning-permission-air-conditioning-units/

You can install most air conditioning systems under permitted development rights. This means that you won’t need to apply to the local authority for planning permission. You can install many small air conditioning units in one room under these rights.

Maybe your neighbours genuinely thought they didn't need planning permission?  I looked into this a while back and reached exactly that conclusion.  Check the various local authority websites, though, and you get a very different story.

I think a lot of local authority assumes 1 unit is permitted development if the conditions are met eg not bigger than 0.6 cubic metres, not less than 1M from boundaries, not installed in dangerous places etc.

sheramber

I think you are talking about an air source heat pump which is for central heating, rather than an air conditioning unit.

https://www.planningportal.co.uk/info/200130/common_projects/27/heat_pumps/2

The unit must have plenty of open air around it so that may be why it is sited high up on the wall.

RelievedSheff

I think you have bigger problems here then your neighbours installing air con/heat pump. It is far from normal for your wife to be crying over the neighbours installing a box on their wall.

I seriously doubt the view is the problem given that the view was presumably the wall of the neighbours house before and it is a view of the neighbours wall with a box installed now!!

MrsBrush

We have installed AC at the bungalow we are selling. No need for planning consent / building regs as the external units are fairly small (around 1m x 1m). 

Reality is we will need to get used to seeing these units installed externally. Ours are far more efficient and cost effective for heating than our gas boiler and central heating system, with the added benefit that the units can do both heat and cooling - a godsend in the summer! When gas boilers are phased out, air heat pumps and AC will be come normal. 

For the OP - can you not put a trellis above your fence where the offending unit can be seen from, them grow some pretty plants up it to screen the area off a bit? 

TripleH

I like MrsBrush's suggestion.

You could spend time and effort trying to fight it but that doesn't mean a conclusion is achieved to your satisfaction. You could devote time to finding a solution that resolves your issue and makes things better for you. That doesn't mean you can't look at whether the unit is permitted or not  as if it is you have dealt with the problem your wife has with it.

Doc_N

MrsBrush said:

We have installed AC at the bungalow we are selling. No need for planning consent / building regs as the external units are fairly small (around 1m x 1m). 

Reality is we will need to get used to seeing these units installed externally. Ours are far more efficient and cost effective for heating than our gas boiler and central heating system, with the added benefit that the units can do both heat and cooling - a godsend in the summer! When gas boilers are phased out, air heat pumps and AC will be come normal. 

For the OP - can you not put a trellis above your fence where the offending unit can be seen from, them grow some pretty plants up it to screen the area off a bit? 

You may find that there’s a problem when it comes to accurate completion of the standard enquiries before sale which the purchaser’s solicitors will make, or have made. They cover all works requiring planning permission, and as you’ll see from the blog post above, air conditioning units do need planning permission. They’re not covered by permitted development rights.

As regards the OP, maybe that’s the answer, depending on the height of the unit.

MrsBrush

Doc_N said:

MrsBrush said:

We have installed AC at the bungalow we are selling. No need for planning consent / building regs as the external units are fairly small (around 1m x 1m). 

Reality is we will need to get used to seeing these units installed externally. Ours are far more efficient and cost effective for heating than our gas boiler and central heating system, with the added benefit that the units can do both heat and cooling - a godsend in the summer! When gas boilers are phased out, air heat pumps and AC will be come normal. 

For the OP - can you not put a trellis above your fence where the offending unit can be seen from, them grow some pretty plants up it to screen the area off a bit? 

You may find that there’s a problem when it comes to accurate completion of the standard enquiries before sale which the purchaser’s solicitors will make, or have made. They cover all works requiring planning permission, and as you’ll see from the blog post above, air conditioning units do need planning permission. They’re not covered by permitted development rights.

As regards the OP, maybe that’s the answer, depending on the height of the unit.

The council weren't remotely interested when we rang them to check before installation, and beyond possibly making a note of the call, they didn't want anything at all from us. Nothing has come back on the planning searches, and our buyer has signed their contracts for the purchase so we haven't come across an issue with the units. the only thing that came back was we needed a new overflow pipe for the condensed waiter to be connected from one unit into the main drain - which is now sorted. But in fairness, none of them are in anyone's obvious sight line (under a front window at ground level, which is screened by a hedge, about 1.5m above the ground for the unit outside the kitchen and at ground level for the converted garage).  There is a bit of a hum from them outside of they are running, but not at any sort of nuisance levels. So, all good as far as that is concerned. 

sammyjammy

Is this house opposite you or next to you?  Either way it can't both be a potential for noise and ruin your view from most windows.  Live and let live, I ma sure your wife will get used to it, if not sell up and move, as someone else said these things are likely to become more common place.

metron

RelievedSheff said:

I think you have bigger problems here then your neighbours installing air con/heat pump. It is far from normal for your wife to be crying over the neighbours installing a box on their wall.

I seriously doubt the view is the problem given that the view was presumably the wall of the neighbours house before and it is a view of the neighbours wall with a box installed now!!

I suppose that depends on your particular view of what's 'normal', how sympathetic a person you are, and what you're used to in your area.

We live in a pleasant village, where people consider their neighbours, where visual appearance matters a lot to people, and where people ordinarily comply with the planning laws designed to protect people from unsightly additions.  By and large developments and additions have been sympathetic to the village, because most people are from the general area and don't want to damage the environment that they value. Occasionally somebody moves here from London, where different rules apply, talk about how nice the area is, and then start trying to 'Londonify' it with huge metal gates, floodlights and things like air conditioning units. It never goes down well, and our visitors (and the seller of the house, who still lives here) are horrified at the monstrosity that's been stuck high up on a very visible wall.

I have found some of the answers and suggestions helpful, though, and I think the best approach is probably as follows:

1  Talk to the new neighbours in a friendly way, avoiding any confrontation, mentioning that we haven't yet received the standard notification from the local planning department about the unit asking for observations.

2  No threats, just surprise that we haven't yet been asked by the planning authority for comment - because we would of course be suggesting that it should be placed at ground level to avoid its being quite so visible.

3  That will almost certainly lead to a comment that they were told no PP was required.  What happens next depends very much on how things are going.  Explanation of the PP requirement for aircon units, followed perhaps by an offer to resite it.

Here's hoping.......