Conservative challenges Green Party-led East Herts Council’s record on blocking air source heat pumps
East Herts Council’s decision to block the installation of green energy measures has been questioned by Sawbridgeworth’s Cllr Eric Buckmaster.
The Conservative, who is also a town councillor and member of Herts County Council, where he serves as executive member for the environment, challenged the district’s record in relation to air source heat pumps.
They work by transferring heat from the outside air to water. This, in turn, heats rooms via radiators or underfloor heating and provides a hot water supply.
Cllr Buckmaster quizzed the Green Party’s Cllr Vicky Glover-Ward, EHC’s executive member for planning and growth, about the number of applications to install the alternative to gas boilers the council has refused, even though the authority has declared a climate emergency.
She told him: “This is a developing area with more residents looking to install air source heat pumps. The council welcomes residents looking at alternative heat sources for their homes.
“In simple terms, air source heat pumps count as a development and all forms of development require planning permission.
“In certain circumstances, the General Permitted Development Order will grant permission for air source heat pumps subject to them meeting certain criteria. If, however, these criteria are not satisfied, the proposal for a heat pump will require a planning application.
“All planning applications are assessed against the District Plan and relevant neighbourhood plans, and, where those policies are satisfied, the council will grant planning permission.
“Of course, it needs to be remembered that the impact of an air source heat pump on the living conditions and amenity of neighbours, including noise and visual impact, is a material consideration that the council has a duty to consider when determining if an application is acceptable. This means that, unfortunately, on occasion, some applications will not be acceptable.”
Cllr Glover-Ward said the council had added an information page to its website to help residents considering switching from fossil fuels.
She added that the current review of the District Plan would give members a chance to update planning policies if necessary.
Cllr Buckmaster told her he wanted to see a “full review” of relevant rules by members, not council officers. Cllr Glover-Ward agreed to investigate the circumstances of planning refusals cited by Cllr Buckmaster.
