Air conditioning in Richmond upon Thames

Richmond's heat pump guidance covers air conditioning

Richmond Council's planning guidance on heat pumps says air-to-air units are now included in the permitted development rights for air source heat pumps, as long as they're used for heating and not just cooling. The council says that in many cases, even in conservation areas, homes can have one installed without planning permission.

It also says that none of its conservation area Article 4 directions remove those rights for heat pumps. In a conservation area, the unit can't be nearer any road than the house itself. A listed building needs listed building consent for any heat pump.

So for most unlisted houses, a heating-capable unit at the rear or side is the straightforward route. A cooling-only unit needs planning permission. Our planning guide explains the size and noise limits that still apply.

Noise: Richmond's single-unit assessment

Where planning is needed, Local Plan Policy 53 asks for a noise assessment of new plant. Richmond's Noise SPD (2018) says plant, usually air conditioning, causes some of the most common noise issues with commercial development. It seeks plant noise at least 5 dB below the background level in most noise-sensitive areas.

For a single air conditioning unit, the SPD lets you submit a desktop noise assessment instead of a full acoustic survey. It uses the manufacturer's sound data and the distance to the nearest neighbour's window, and checks the predicted level 1 m from that window against 45 dB(A) by day and 35 dB(A) at night. We prepare this for you. The SPD also expects plant to sit on anti-vibration mounts.

Local Plan Policy 46 adds that service equipment should be in visually inconspicuous places or screened, and must not disturb neighbours.

Period homes, flats and the river

Richmond is the only London borough on both sides of the Thames, and its housing is old. Valuation Office data shows about 38 per cent of homes were built before 1919 and another 24 per cent between the wars. The Local Plan describes Teddington as mainly Victorian and Edwardian terraces and semis.

In the 2021 Census, 28 per cent of households lived in purpose-built flats and another 9 per cent in converted houses. In a converted Victorian house in Twickenham or East Sheen, the freeholder and the other flat owners usually need to agree, and planning is often needed.

Period houses often have tall rooms. We size units on a room-by-room survey and run pipes inside where we can, to keep the outside of the house tidy.

Conservation areas we work in

These are some of the borough's 85 conservation areas. Richmond also has Buildings of Townscape Merit, its local list, which the council says doesn't change normal permitted development rights.

• Richmond Green, Richmond Hill, Richmond Riverside and Central Richmond
• Kew Green, Kew Gardens and Old Deer Park
• Barnes Green, Castelnau, Mortlake and Mortlake Green
• East Sheen Avenue and Christchurch Road, East Sheen
• Twickenham Riverside, Twickenham Green and St Margarets
• Strawberry Hill Road and Strawberry Vale
• Teddington Lock, High Street Teddington and Hampton Wick
• Hampton Court Green, Hampton Village, Petersham and Ham Common

Parking and access for engineers

Richmond has controlled parking zones from Barnes and Kew to Teddington, Hampton Wick and Whitton, each with its own hours. If you live in a CPZ, you can buy trader permits for us. A book of 10 scratchcards is £17.65 in most zones or £35.30 in the central Richmond zones, and pay-as-you-go sessions are also available.

If a job needs a clear space, the council suspends bays with notice and puts up signs three days before. Fees changed for bookings from 6 July 2026, so we confirm the current charge on your quote.

The council's hours for noisy building work are 8am to 6pm on weekdays and 8am to 1pm on Saturdays, with no noisy work on Sundays or bank holidays.

Prices in Richmond upon Thames

Standard prices for a home install. Planning drawings, acoustic reports and long pipe runs are quoted after the survey.

• A bedroom or study

  2.5 kW wall unit, 5 m pipe, fitted in a day

  from£1,850inc. VAT

• A living room

  3.5 kW wall unit

  from£2,050inc. VAT

• Two rooms, one outdoor unit

  Multi-split

  from£3,650inc. VAT

• Three rooms

  Multi-split

  from£5,100inc. VAT

• Floor-standing unit

  2.5 kW console

  from£2,350inc. VAT

• Premium range upgrade

  Quieter, more efficient unit

  from£250inc. VAT

Neighbourhoods we cover

We work on both sides of the river, including:

• Richmond and Richmond Hill
• Kew
• Barnes, Mortlake and East Sheen
• Ham and Petersham
• Twickenham, St Margarets and Strawberry Hill
• Whitton and Heathfield
• Teddington, Hampton Wick and Fulwell
• Hampton and Hampton Hill

Richmond questions