Miliband to Stop Noise Rules Blocking Heat Pumps – as His Wife Joins Protest Against Flats With “Noisy” Heat Pumps

Ed Miliband has pledged to stop noise rules blocking the installation of heat pumps – as his wife joins a protest against a new block of flats where his neighbours are objecting to the noisy heat pumps. The Telegraph has more.

Ed Miliband has vowed to stop noise rules from blocking heat pumps as he campaigns for the devices to be installed across Britain.

The Energy Secretary has promised to investigate how regulations are enforced and to relax the rules if needed, saying noise issues “remains a big barrier” to heat pump installations.

Mr Miliband said: “We’re going to look at that, as to whether this is about the rules and the way they are being enforced and the knowledge of the rules.

“Often what I find on some of these planning issues, sometimes it’s the rules, sometimes it’s the enforcement of the rules and sometimes it’s the awareness of the rules – and you’ve got to work out which it is.

“My overall approach would be to say where there are barriers, let’s get rid of them if we possibly can. If the noise thing is a barrier, obviously subject to making sure there isn’t a disturbance to people, which I don’t think there will be, we should act on that.”

Mr Miliband was addressing Bill Esterson, Chair of the Energy Security and Net Zero Committee, who said one in three heat pump installations required planning consent even in cases where the machines were producing noise comparable to a computer.

The Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS), which sets planning standards for the devices, states that the noise from a heat pump cannot exceed 37 decibels (dB) when measured a metre away. 40dB is roughly equivalent to a quiet office or a library.

The Energy Secretary is pushing for Britain to install 600,000 heat pumps per year by 2028 as part of his Net Zero drive.

Labour has already scrapped a rule requiring homeowners in England to gain planning consent to install heat pumps at least one metre away from a neighbouring property.

The one-metre requirement had originally been introduced because some systems can emit a humming sound of up to 60dB, similar to the level produced by a fridge or dishwasher.

Mr Miliband said that removing that rule had already “made a difference” in terms of more widespread adoption of the technology.

In an awkward situation for the Energy Secretary, his own neighbours are protesting against a five-storey residential development over concerns that its six proposed heat pumps will cause noise pollution.

Justine Thornton, Mr Miliband’s wife, is among those objecting to the development in their Dartmouth Park neighbourhood, calling them “too tall, too bulky and too dense”, although she did not mention anything in relation to the heat pumps.

Worth reading in full.

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Dinger64
8 months ago

Ed Miliband: “sometimes it’s the awareness of the rules”

=

“these days the plebs seem to know to much about the law, the bas@#ds!”

mrbu
mrbu
8 months ago
Reply to  Dinger64

Net Zero zealots tend to disregard the laws of physics and of nature, if they don’t suit them. Why should they treat the laws of the land any differently?

Epi
Epi
8 months ago
Reply to  Dinger64

It’s too much. Apologies for being a pendant.

transmissionofflame
8 months ago

the development in their Dartmouth Park neighbourhood”

I’ve spent a lot of time in Dartmouth Park. Could not afford to live there though. Full of very rich socialists. Today on Rightmove you can buy a 21 square metre studio flat for £275,000 up to a 4 bed house for £3.5 million. Socialism for thee, not for me! Parliament Hill Fields is lovely,

Jeff Chambers
Jeff Chambers
8 months ago

Ed Miliband has pledged to stop noise rules blocking the installation of heat pumps

Will Milibrain also be able to stop direct action by infuriated neighbours?

marebobowl
marebobowl
8 months ago
Reply to  Jeff Chambers

When those in management do not safeguard the members of this country, it is time for those managers to be replaced for poor performance. Safeguarding is one of the primary responsibilities of a manager. If this is not being done, this manager must be replaced on grounds of safety.

Jack the dog
Jack the dog
8 months ago

Heat pumps for thee but not for me.

Westfieldmike
Westfieldmike
8 months ago

Nothing that a 14 pound hammer can’t solve

Dinger64
8 months ago
Reply to  Westfieldmike

I thought someone had already done that, right in the middle of his face!

DontPanic
DontPanic
8 months ago
Reply to  Westfieldmike

Spray foam is very effective at gumming up their fans

Whomakesthisstuffup
Whomakesthisstuffup
8 months ago

His wife calling them “too tall, too bulky and too dense”. I’m pretty sure she talking about her husband

Marcus Aurelius knew
8 months ago

Ed Miliband doesn’t listen to anyone, certainly not his own wife. She was complaining that HE is too noisy.

Grim Ace
Grim Ace
8 months ago

That man is intellectually challenged. A typical moneyed socialist. Their brain doesn’t work properly.
Civil war is coming, Moribund. Trials will
Follow. Traitors will be in the dock. You’re one of them.

coviture2020
coviture2020
8 months ago

Just another warning that life, aka existence, under net zero isn’t going to be nice in fact it will,on physical terms, be the equivalent of 1984

Covid-1984
Covid-1984
8 months ago

Milliband is ensuring the end of the Labour Party. He’s not bright enough to realise it yet.

marebobowl
marebobowl
8 months ago

There are so many harmful activities governments insist on. Why? Surely their job, like any management company, is to provide a safe, secure and prosperous environment for their members to enjoy. Every time a government over reaches their remit, it is the responsibility of the owner/ members (taxpayers) to reign in management who are responsible for not doing their job. And if it continues to replace that management for poor performance.

Epi
Epi
8 months ago

Dartmouth Park! Glad someone’s making money out of Socialism cause it ain’t the plebs.

DontPanic
DontPanic
8 months ago

The fool Miliband should start with the Houses of Parliament and their offices, which have rejected pumps on noise grounds.