Plant room

[Banoffeecoffee]

A planning application has been put in for land near our house for an eco dwelling. Attached to the garage (and nearest to our house and farthest away from there’s) there is a plant room which I think refers to machinery rather than house plants! I just wondered if anyone had any experience of this either professionally or living in/near one of these houses. I guess it may be for a generator if they are not going to use electricity or gas from the grid but there is no comment otherwise in any of the documents. Don’t want to raise a concern unnecessarily about it but I just had some worry about noise etc (which may be completely unfounded!). Thanks in advance.

Having seen this kind of thing on Grand Designs it's much more likely to be the boiler, electrics, etc. than noisy heavy machinery.

If it’s an eco development then it’s likely to be housing for a biomass boiler and fuel and all the plumbing and controls etc. Generally not noisy at all.

The only time I have seen plant room on plans is when there's a swimming pool.

Only other time

Raise a query with the planning officer because if it is noisy it will affect your amenity.
Be very wary of the fan units for heat pumps which can be noisy (low level drone / fan noises).

If it houses a gas/woodchip/oil boiler, manifold for underfloor heating and a hot water tank then not a problem (as long as the boiler doesn't vent over your property against building regs).

Surely no gas/woodchip/oil boiler is going to be classed as eco now! Could be heat pump though.

Ground source heat pumps need a plant room, might be for that.

I thought heat pump paraphernalia needed to be close to where the heat is needed?

Personally I’d put in a planning comment about potential noise impact of the room, as if it is likely to be noisy they can relocate it and have better soundproofing.