Chichester and Bognor Regis are close neighbours but they don’t share a council. Chichester is in Chichester District; Bognor Regis is in Arun District. One sits behind the coast, the other faces the sea. Both points matter when you plan an outdoor unit.
Below are our price bands, then what each place means for cost and planning, and how grants and VAT work.
What you pay
- One room (single split system): £1,200–£2,200 + VAT
- Two rooms on one outdoor unit: £2,800–£4,500 + VAT
- Three to five rooms: £4,500–£8,500 + VAT
- Annual service: £95–£150 + VAT
- Repair visit: diagnosis from £75 + VAT
- Shops, offices and larger VRF systems: priced after a survey
Installation prices cover the equipment, fitting, commissioning and F-Gas documentation. The quote is fixed once we’ve seen the job.
Chichester: working within a historic city
Chichester District Council says its conservation areas include the urban centre of Chichester, and that many of the most historic have Article 4 directions. An Article 4 direction removes some permitted development rights, so work that would be allowed elsewhere may need an application.
For air conditioning, that usually means two things. First, the outdoor unit may need to go somewhere out of sight, such as a rear courtyard or a flat roof behind a parapet. Second, the pipe run from there to the room can be longer, which adds time and materials. That’s why a city-centre job tends to sit further up the price band than a similar room in a newer suburb.
If the building is listed, listed building consent is a separate matter from planning, and it is worth talking to the council’s conservation team early. Our listed building guide explains what they usually want to see. You can find more on our Chichester air conditioning page.
Want it done properly? AirCon Doctor installs, repairs and services air conditioning and heat pumps across London and the South East, from our base in East Grinstead. We’re an F-Gas certified company and NICEIC approved. Get a fixed-price quote.
Bognor Regis: think about the sea air
Arun District Council lists several Bognor Regis conservation areas, including the Railway Station, Hotham Park and The Steyne. Outside those, many homes will fall under the normal national rules.
The bigger practical point is salt. Sea air settles on outdoor units and can corrode the coil and casing over time. On homes close to the front we look at:
- a sheltered position, such as a side return or behind a wall, away from direct spray and wind;
- whether a coated coil or coastal version is available for the model you pick, and what it adds to the price;
- a service plan that includes rinsing salt off the outdoor coil.
Our guide to protecting air conditioning from salt air covers this in depth. Also see our Bognor Regis air conditioning page.
The national planning rules, briefly
The Planning Portal sets out when an air source heat pump on a house is permitted development: an outdoor unit no bigger than 1.5 m³, compliance with MCS 020(a), not used only for cooling, not on a pitched roof, and not in the grounds of a listed building. In a conservation area it must not face a road. Air-to-air systems have been included since 2025. Flats have smaller limits.
Some villages north of Chichester are inside the South Downs National Park. There, the National Park Authority is the planning authority. Its guide to who deals with your application has a map to check your address.
Grants and VAT
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme gives £7,500 towards an air-to-water heat pump and £2,500 towards an air-to-air one, if it replaces fossil-fuel heating, heats the whole home and isn’t an add-on to a boiler. Homes heated by oil or LPG with no mains gas can get an extra £1,500 towards an air source or ground source heat pump until March 2027. We’re MCS certified and make the application.
VAT on qualifying heat pumps in homes is 0% until 31 March 2027 under HMRC Notice 708/6, then 5%. Whether a particular air conditioning unit qualifies depends on the facts, so we confirm it on your quote. Holiday businesses and shops pay the standard rate. This is general guidance, not tax advice.
Quick answers
Does a seafront home in Bognor Regis cost more?
It can, if the best position needs extra pipework or you choose a coated coil. We price any extra clearly on the quote.
Can I put an outdoor unit on the front of a house in central Chichester?
In a conservation area it must not go on a wall or roof facing a road if you want to rely on permitted development, and an Article 4 direction may remove other rights. We look for a rear or hidden position first.
Which council do I ask in Bognor Regis?
Arun District Council, unless your property is inside the South Downs National Park.
Do you service systems someone else fitted?
Yes. Servicing is £95–£150 + VAT, and we’ll tell you if anything needs attention.
Related services
More advice
- Coastal Air Conditioning: Protecting Units From Salt Air
- Air Conditioning Installation in a Listed Building: Complete Guide
- Air Conditioning Cost in Worthing: Your Questions Answered
- Do I Need Planning Permission for Air Conditioning in the UK?
- All advice
This guide is general information, checked against the sources linked on 30 October 2026. It isn’t legal, tax or financial advice. Rules, grants and product ranges change, so check the current position before you rely on it.