Greenwich Council's Planning Board has approved the installation of air source heat pumps (ASHP) at Building 10, Royal Arsenal Riverside, a Grade II listed building. The decision, made on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, allows for the decarbonisation of the site's existing energy centre as part of a wider sustainability strategy, contributing to the Royal Arsenal Riverside's overall sustainability goals and the council's net zero carbon ambitions.
The approved plans will see the air source heat pumps housed within the eastern portion of Building 10, specifically in the commercial floor space of units 9 and 10. This will involve internal reconfiguration and external alterations, including the enlargement and re-forming of arched openings on the southern elevation to accommodate louvres for ventilation. Louvred treatments will also be introduced on the western and eastern facades, and a section of the southern roof slope will be opened to house heat collectors.
This project is intended to support the decarbonisation of the existing heat network across the wider Royal Arsenal Master Plan development. The ASHP installation is proposed to provide heating for over 1,200 units coming forward as part of the wider development. It is initially calculated that around 60% of the development's annual heat demand will be produced from them. The benefits of the ASHP over the previous Combined Heat and Power (CHP) system include providing cleaner energy to surrounding homes, reducing reliance on fossil fuels, and associated improved air quality. These are positive steps towards the council's and mayor's plans for achieving net zero carbon.
Historic England had raised concerns about the extent of physical alteration to the historic fabric, assessing the proposals as causing less than substantial harm.
However, council officers concluded that the public benefits of the scheme, including its contribution to decarbonisation, outweighed this harm.
Local residents had also raised objections concerning potential noise and vibration impacts. To address these concerns, a robust condition has been agreed, stipulating that operational noise levels must be at least 5dB below the representative background sound level at all times. The 'representative background sound level' is defined as the LA90,Tr, which is the noise level measured or calculated in accordance with BS 4142:2014+A2:2020 at the nearest noise sensitive receptors. The monitoring will be conducted at the facades of the closest residential properties, specifically Windsor Square and Bentham House. The applicant has agreed to a condition that requires regular servicing of the ASHP installation by a recognised industry professional for its lifetime, with relevant paperwork provided to the Council upon request. Regular monitoring and maintenance of fans, with timely replacement if deterioration occurs, is also included. Any repair or maintenance must be carried out within one month of a performance problem being identified, with evidence provided to the Local Planning Authority.
The Planning Board voted to grant permission for both the full planning application and the listed building consent.
For further details on the Morden Wharf development, see the Public reports pack.
