Air conditioning in Borehamwood, Elstree and Radlett
We install, service and repair air conditioning in homes and businesses across Borehamwood, Elstree and Radlett. Here's how the local homes, Hertsmere's planning rules and its parking zones affect an install, with our prices.
- conservation areas in Hertsmere
- 15
- Borehamwood and Elstree
- WD6
- single room, from
- £1,850
- office wall unit, from, + VAT
- £1,795
A town shaped by the railway, overspill housing and film
Hertsmere Borough Council describes Borehamwood as a small rural hamlet that grew after Elstree Station opened in 1868. Manufacturing followed, and the last big wave of growth came in the 1950s, when the town was chosen for London overspill housing. Film has been part of the story throughout: the council owns Elstree Studios on Shenley Road.
Green Belt countryside separates Borehamwood from Elstree, Bushey, Radlett and Shenley. Radlett grew as a commuter village, with its shops, pubs and restaurants along Watling Street, and the council puts its population at around 8,000.
Local homes and what they mean for an install
| Type of home | Where | What it means for the install |
|---|---|---|
| Post-war terraces and semis | Across Borehamwood, including its 1950s overspill estates | Outdoor unit on the back wall or a ground pad. One heat pump is allowed on a semi or terrace, so a multi-split suits several rooms. |
| Flats and maisonettes | Borehamwood town centre and newer blocks around the town | Freeholder consent first. Permitted development allows one heat pump per block, with an outdoor unit up to 0.6 m³. |
| Village and period houses | Elstree Village and parts of Radlett | Conservation areas. No unit on a wall or roof facing a highway without permission, so a rear position is usual. |
| Bungalows and detached houses | Radlett | A detached house can have two heat pumps under permitted development, if each meets the limits. |
Planning: Hertsmere Borough Council
Planning in Borehamwood, Elstree and Radlett is handled by Hertsmere Borough Council, at the Civic Offices on Elstree Way in Borehamwood.
A heating-capable outdoor unit on a house is often permitted development, so no application is needed if every limit is met. The main ones: the unit must not be used only for cooling, it must be no bigger than 1.5 m³, and it must pass the MCS 020(a) noise check of 37 dB(A) at neighbours' windows. Our planning guide sets out the rest.
The council lists 15 conservation areas. Near Borehamwood they include Elstree Village, Radlett North, Radlett South, Aldenham, Letchmore Heath and Shenley. The list doesn't include one in Borehamwood town itself.
Elstree Village has an Article 4 direction for the conservation area, which brings some works that would otherwise be permitted development under planning control. Ask the council what it covers before you fit a unit there. Listed buildings always need consent.
Air conditioning for Borehamwood businesses
The council's Elstree Creative Corridor runs from the M1 through Borehamwood and Elstree to the A1. It takes in the Elstree Way Employment Area, the Centennial Park Industrial Area and Borehamwood town centre. The council protects Elstree Way and Stirling Way with Article 4 directions that stop offices and industrial units becoming homes without permission.
We fit wall units, ceiling cassettes and multi-split systems for offices, production offices, workshops, shops, restaurants and small server rooms. Commercial installs happen in business hours. We can take over servicing from another installer and carry out F-Gas leak checks where your system needs them.
Parking on install day
Hertsmere has controlled parking zones in Radlett, Potters Bar, Borehamwood and Bushey. As a general guide they run from 8am to 6.30pm, Monday to Saturday, but hours vary by zone. The council also handles parking suspensions and a commercial dispensation permit. It is consulting on a review of the Radlett zone until 30 October 2026.
If you live in a zone, tell us when you book and we'll agree where the van can park, because we need to unload the outdoor unit close to the house. Hertfordshire is outside London's ULEZ.
What air conditioning costs in Borehamwood
Our starting prices are the same here as across Hertfordshire and London. Home prices include VAT. Business prices are plus VAT.
- from£1,850inc. VAT
A bedroom or study
2.5 kW wall unit, 5 m pipe, fitted in a day
- from£2,050inc. VAT
A living room
3.5 kW wall unit
- from£3,650inc. VAT
Two rooms, one outdoor unit
Multi-split
- from£5,100inc. VAT
Three rooms
Multi-split
- from£1,795+ VAT
Commercial wall unit
Fitted in business hours
- from£2,750+ VAT
Ceiling cassette
In a suitable suspended ceiling
- from£119inc. VAT
An annual service
Keeps the manufacturer warranty valid
- from£125inc. VAT
Repair diagnostic visit
First hour on site, deducted if you go ahead
Areas and postcodes we cover
We cover the whole area. A few WD6 addresses are in the London Borough of Barnet, where Barnet Council handles planning instead.
- WD6: Borehamwood and Elstree
- WD7: Radlett and Shenley
- Nearby: Bushey, Potters Bar and Watford
Borehamwood questions
Do I need planning permission for air conditioning in Borehamwood?
Often not. Borehamwood town has no conservation area on the council's list, so a heating-capable unit on a house is usually permitted development if it meets the size, position and noise limits. Cooling-only units and listed buildings need permission. Applications go to Hertsmere Borough Council.
I live in Elstree Village. What should I check?
Elstree Village is a conservation area with an Article 4 direction. Check whether your house is inside the boundary, and ask the council whether the direction covers an outdoor unit. Under permitted development, a unit can't go on a wall or roof facing a highway in a conservation area.
My Radlett bungalow has an Article 4 direction. Does that stop air conditioning?
Not by itself. The Radlett bungalow directions cover adding storeys and building new homes on the plot. Heat pump rights aren't removed, so a heating-capable unit can still be permitted development if it meets the limits. Check Radlett North and South conservation area boundaries too.
Do you fit air conditioning for businesses on Elstree Way and Centennial Park?
Yes. We survey the space, check with the landlord about where condensers can go, and fit during business hours. Commercial wall units start from £1,795 plus VAT and ceiling cassettes from £2,750 plus VAT.
How much does a single room cost?
A 2.5 kW wall unit for a bedroom or study starts at £1,850 including VAT, with a 5 m pipe run, fitted in a day. Living rooms usually need 3.5 kW, from £2,050. Two rooms on one outdoor unit start from £3,650.
Can you service my existing system?
Yes. An annual service starts at £119 including VAT and keeps the manufacturer's warranty valid. We service most brands, whoever installed them. A repair diagnostic visit is £125, deducted if you go ahead.