In many cases, no. Air source heat pumps often fall under permitted development in Scotland, which means you may not need a full planning application.
The important part is the word "often" rather than "always". Planning can still become relevant if, for example:
- the unit and its enclosure exceed the height limits
- the property is listed
- the unit sits within the curtilage of a listed building
- the property falls within another site-specific planning constraint
The practical answer is that we look at the property, the proposed outdoor-unit position, and the relevant planning constraints before giving you a definite answer. We would rather confirm it properly than tell you "no planning needed" and leave you with a problem later.
Where planning is needed, we will tell you early so it can be factored into the timeline before any install date is agreed.