Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of planning restrictions in conservation areas on the installation of domestic heat pumps.

While responsibility for planning policy primarily sits with the Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government (MHCLG) the two departments work closely on these issues and recognise the importance of ensuring that planning requirements do not create unnecessary barriers to the deployment of low-carbon heating.

In May 2025, the Government amended permitted development rights for air source heat pumps in England to enable more households to install one without planning permission and most households can now do so.

For properties in conservation areas, the cross-government review of the barriers to retrofitting these buildings was published in January 2024 and sets out the core challenges faced by homeowners and the actions Government is taking.

Both the National Planning Policy Framework and Historic England’s guidance state the need to support energy efficiency and decarbonisation within buildings, as far as reasonably practicable without prejudicing the character of the host building or risking the long-term deterioration of the fabric or fittings. Local authorities are expected to take these into account when deciding on individual planning applications.