Air Source Heat Pump Installation in Mevagissey

Mevagissey is 92% off the gas grid — almost every property here runs on oil, LPG, or solid fuel. The twin harbours, narrow streets, and medieval character that make it one of South Cornwall's most visited villages also create some unique challenges for heat pump installation. We've navigated all of them.

The oil delivery problem

Oil tankers regularly struggle to access certain streets in Mevagissey, particularly around the inner harbour. Some properties go seasons without a delivery and rely on containers. This practical reality makes oil dependency particularly acute here — and makes the case for switching to a heat pump especially strong. Once installed, a heat pump ends the oil delivery dependency entirely.

Heritage and AONB constraints

The conservation area covers the historic harbour core. External heat pump unit placement on listed buildings or within the conservation area needs careful siting to avoid Listed Building Consent issues or AONB landscape impact. In practice, most Mevagissey cottages have a rear yard, passageway, or garden side that works. We assess every property individually. Properties in Portmellon, the surrounding rural parishes, and any 20th-century homes on the village periphery have no conservation constraints at all.

Three property types, three approaches

Pre-1900 fishermen's cottages — solid stone walls, low ceilings, typically 2–3 beds. Heat loss is manageable because the thermal mass retains heat overnight. We oversize the heat pump slightly (6–8kW) and recommend existing radiators are checked and upgraded where needed. SCOP typically 2.8–3.2 in these buildings.

Victorian and Edwardian townhouses — larger rooms, higher heat loss, often larger radiators already. 8–10kW heat pump, existing radiator circuit usually adequate. Strong candidates for underfloor heating if a ground-floor renovation is planned.

20th-century bungalows and semis on the periphery — the easiest retrofits. Standard cavity-walled construction, modern radiators. 6–8kW heat pump, straightforward installation, best SCOP figures of any Mevagissey property type.

The £7,500 BUS grant applies to all these property types for like-for-like oil replacement. We cover the grant application paperwork. Book a free survey — we're 7 miles away and can typically attend within the week.