Turning Up the Heat

Rugby Liberal Democrats have submitted a motion to Rugby Borough Council today calling for a review of the planning requirements for community buildings when installing heat pumps.

Domestic heat pumps have an agreed noise standard which means they don’t need a “sound survey” when applying for planning permission.

 Community buildings like churches and village halls don’t have an agreed standard which means a noise survey is always requested even if they meet the same noise levels as domestic properties.  Rugby Liberal Democrats have asked the Council to review this to bring community buildings in line with domestic buildings so that costly and unnecessary noise surveys are not required.

Cllr Isabelle McKenzie (Rokeby and Overslade ) said: “Many of our community facilities would like to upgrade their heating and reduce their carbon  output at the same time. Eliminating unnecessary “sound surveys”, when the pumps are as quiet as those on domestic houses, would remove an unnecessary expense and stumbling block.”

Cllr Jerry Roodhouse (Paddox)  “ I was approached by a local church group that wants to do the right thing for the climate but hits extra costs applied by the Council instead of using common sense”

Information from the energy saving trust