The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) (Amendment) Order 2025
This order amends the 2015 Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order for England.
Key changes include relaxing restrictions on installing electric vehicle charging points and air source heat pumps, streamlining planning processes for these developments.
Specific alterations involve removing certain limitations on the size, location, and number of permitted installations.
A transitional provision allows continued development under previous regulations for a limited time.
Arguments For
Promoting sustainable transport: The amendments related to electric vehicle charging infrastructure aim to ease the installation of such infrastructure, thus promoting the adoption of electric vehicles and reducing carbon emissions.
Accelerating renewable energy adoption: Relaxing restrictions on air source heat pump installations can expedite the transition to cleaner energy sources in homes and reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
Streamlining planning processes: By expanding permitted development rights, the order reduces the administrative burden on developers and local authorities, facilitating quicker project approvals and potentially lower costs.
Supporting economic growth: Simplifying the installation of electric vehicle charging points might stimulate investment in the EV sector and create jobs in the renewable energy sector.
Legal basis: The order is made under the powers granted by specific sections of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, ensuring its legal validity.
Arguments Against
Potential for visual impact: Increased installations of charging equipment might negatively impact the visual amenity of some areas, particularly if poorly planned.
Concerns about noise pollution: Air source heat pumps, while cleaner, can generate noise, which might be a problem in densely populated areas if not properly regulated.
Unintended consequences: Relaxing regulations might lead to unplanned or unsuitable installations, potentially causing problems with safety, grid capacity, or neighbourhood character.
Impact on local planning control: Reducing the need for planning permission for some developments might limit the ability of local authorities to control development in their areas.
Potential for disproportionate impact: The changes might disproportionately favor developers and landowners, potentially exacerbating existing inequalities in access to sustainable technologies.
- Citation, commencement, extent and interpretation (1) This Order may be cited as the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) (Amendment) Order 2025. (2) This Order comes into force on 29th May 2025. (3) This Order extends to England and Wales. (4) In this Order, “the GPDO” means the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015.
This section details the order's title, effective date (May 29, 2025), geographical scope (England and Wales), and defines "GPDO" as the 2015 Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order, which this order amends.
- Amendment of Schedule 2 to the GDPO Schedule 2 (permitted development rights) to the GPDO is amended in accordance with articles 3 to 6.
This section indicates that articles 3 through 6 will amend Schedule 2 of the GPDO, which outlines permitted development rights.
- Amendment of Class D of Part 2 (electrical outlet for recharging vehicles) In Part 2 (minor operations), in Class D (electrical outlet for recharging vehicles), in paragraph D.1 (development not permitted), omit sub-paragraph (b).
This article removes a restriction in Class D (electrical outlets for vehicle recharging) of Part 2, making it easier to install such outlets.
- Amendment of Class E of Part 2 (electrical upstand for recharging vehicles) (1) Class E (electrical upstand for recharging vehicles) of Part 2 (minor operations) is amended as follows. (2) In the heading, after “upstand” insert “etc.”. (3) In paragraph E (permitted development)— (a) the existing text becomes sub-paragraph (1); (b) after sub-paragraph (1), insert—(2) The installation, alteration or replacement, at ground level within a non-domestic area lawfully used for off-street parking, of—(a) equipment necessary for the operation of an upstand the installation of which would be permitted by this Class;(b) a unit of equipment housing for the storage of equipment necessary for the operation of an upstand the installation of which would be permitted by this Class.”. (4) In paragraph E.1 (development not permitted)— (a) the existing text becomes sub-paragraph (1); (b) in sub-paragraph (1)—(i) in the opening words, for “Class E” substitute “paragraph E(1)” (ii) in paragraph (a)(ii), for “2.3 metres” substitute “2.7 metres”; (iii) omit sub-paragraph (b); (c) after sub-paragraph (1), insert—(2) Development is not permitted by paragraph E(2)(a) if the equipment would not be contained within equipment housing the installation of which would be permitted by this Class. (3) Development is not permitted by paragraph E(2)(b) if—(a) it would result in there being more than 1 unit of equipment housing within a non-domestic area lawfully used for off-street parking;(b) the unit of equipment housing would—(i) have a volume exceeding 29 cubic metres;(ii) exceed 3 metres in height from the level of the surface used for the parking of vehicles;(iii) be within 5 metres of a highway;(iv) be within 10 metres of the curtilage of a dwellinghouse or block of flats;(v) be within a site designated as a scheduled monument;(vi) be within the curtilage of a listed building.”.
This article expands Class E (electrical upstands for vehicle recharging) to include associated equipment and housing.
It also modifies height restrictions and clarifies permitted locations, adding further restrictions on the number and size of equipment housings, proximity to dwellings and other constraints.
- Amendment of Class G of Part 14 (air source heat pumps) (1) Class G (installation or alteration etc of air source heat pumps on domestic premises) of Part 14 (renewable energy) is amended as follows. (2) In paragraph G.1 (development not permitted - MCS Planning Standards), omit “or equivalent standards”. (3) In paragraph G.2 (development not permitted)—(a) in sub-paragraph (a), for the words from “more” to the end, substitute—“(i) more than one air source heat pump on, or within the curtilage of—(aa) a dwellinghouse which is not a detached dwellinghouse;(bb) a block of flats;(ii) more than two air source heat pumps on, or within the curtilage of, a detached dwellinghouse;”; (b) in sub-paragraph (d), for “exceed 0.6 cubic metres” substitute—“(i) in the case of the installation of an air source heat pump on, or within the curtilage of, a dwellinghouse, exceed 1.5 cubic metres;(ii) in the case of the installation of an air source heat pump on, or within the curtilage of, a block of flats, exceed 0.6 cubic metres;”; (c) omit sub-paragraph (e). (4) In paragraph G.3 (conditions)—(a) omit sub-paragraph (a);(b) before sub-paragraph (b), insert—“(aa) the air source heat pump is not solely used for the purpose of cooling;”.
This article amends Class G (air source heat pumps) in Part 14.
It removes references to "equivalent standards," restricts the number of air source heat pumps permitted per dwelling type, increases size limits for air source heat pumps in dwellings, and adds a condition that the heat pump cannot be solely for cooling.
- Amendment of paragraph P of Part 14 (interpretation of Part 14) In Part 14 (renewable energy), in paragraph P (interpretation of Part 14), in the definition of “MCS Planning Standards”—(a) for “(being MCS 007)” substitute “(being MCS 020 a) - Air Source Heat Pump Sound Calculation (For Permitted Development Installations))”;(b) for “(being MCS 006)” substitute “(being MCS 020 b) - Wind Turbine Sound Calculation (For Permitted Development Installations))”.
This article updates the definition of "MCS Planning Standards" in Part 14, replacing older standards (MCS 006 and MCS 007) with newer ones (MCS 020 a and MCS 020 b), specifically for sound calculations related to permitted development installations of air source heat pumps and wind turbines.
- Transitional provision (1) Paragraph (2) applies where development (“previously permitted development”)—(a) is permitted under Class G of Part 14 of Schedule 2 to the GPDO immediately before 29th May 2025, and(b) is, by virtue of the amendment made by article 5(2), no longer permitted under that Class on and after 29th May 2025. (2) Where this paragraph applies, a developer may, despite the amendments made by article 5(2), carry out previously permitted development until the end of 28th May 2026.
This section includes a transitional provision.
Development permitted under the previous version of Class G of Part 14 before May 29, 2025, can still proceed until May 28, 2026, despite the amendments made by Article 5(2).