School told to limit use of 'noisy' heat pumps

Gregory Quinn lives opposite the school and has grown his hedge to try to block out the noise from the heat pumps

A school that installed air source heat pumps without planning permission has been told by the Planning Inspectorate that it cannot run them continuously - because of the noise.

Reepham High School in Norfolk put in the pumps in 2022 to heat its English and science block.

But people living near the school complained that the noise was disturbing their sleep - and Broadland District Council (BDC) said it would take enforcement action if the pumps were used before 07:00 or after 17:00.

The school said it was "considering all options to resolve the matter".

After complaints, BDC gave the school retrospective planning permission to use them, provided they did not run the pumps outside school hours and disturb the neighbours.

Sound proofing has been applied to the building by the school to try and mitigate the noise

Heat pumps work by extracting heat from the outside air and transferring it to a building's heating and hot water system, like a reverse fridge.

They are designed to operate 24 hours a day, with a frost setting kicking in during low temperatures to maintain heat levels and stop the equipment freezing.

Gregory Quinn has grown out a hedge in his front garden to screen off the heat pumps' noise.

"It's louder than a dishwasher and perhaps quieter than an extractor fan so you are conscious of it," he said.

"I've grown my hedge longer, higher and wider so it does mitigate the noise to a degree but it does affect us early in the morning.

"At five o'clock we can hear it kick in on the frost cycle."

'Heart of the town'

Reepham High School appealed against the restrictions put on them by the council.

But the Inspectorate turned down the appeal, stating it was "both necessary and reasonable to impose a restriction preventing the operation of the de-frost cycle to protect the living conditions of neighbouring residents".

The council said it would take enforcement action against the school if and when the heat pumps were used again, but would not act on previous breaches this year.

The school told the BBC that alternative heating was being used instead of the heat pumps.

"Reepham High School and Sixth Form is at the heart of the town and a valued part of the community," a spokesperson said.

"As with any construction project at the school, it was never our intention to upset or inconvenience residents."