Owning your own home

I thought flats had NO permitted development rights? All your rights are belong to the council etc

I'm fairly sure you can do some things, for example install one satellite dish. The second would need planning permission. That particular rule doesn't seem to get a lot of enforcement though.

A bit of digging turns up a kind of helpful page from Camden. 1 dish for a block of flats under 15m high, 4 if you are over 15m high, without planning permission.

https://www.camden.gov.uk/satellite-dishes-planning-permission

Some further digging on their website turns up https://www.camden.gov.uk/documents/20142/303233873/Air+source+heat+pumps+and+hybrid+pumps.docx/7085f903-46ac-3497-d7a5-614407041a34?t=1608630904387 which says an sir source heat pump is permitted development on a 'dwelling or block of flats' providing a bunch of conditions are met including only one ASHP. Different rules for Conservation Area (not visible from street) or Listed Buildings (so much paperwork).

Permitted development (planning permission is not required) if:

• The air source heat pump complies with the MCS Planning Standards or equivalent standards;
  
• There is only one ASHP proposed;
  
• The volume of the unit must not exceed 0.6 cubic metres;
  
• Set in 1m from the property boundary;
  
• Installed on a flat roof and is set in 1m from the external edge of the roof;
  
• Not on a wall or which fronts a highway
  
• Not installed on a wall above the level of the ground storey;
  
• Equipment which is no longer needed for microgeneration shall be removed as soon as reasonably practical;
  
• Used only for heating purposes;
  
• Positioned to minimise its impact on the external appearance of the building and amenity of the area;
  
• Is removed as soon as practicable when no longer needed
  

A single unit which is below 0.6 cubic meters in size is probably bugger all use for a block of flats though so effectively if you live in a flat you are going to need planning permission. Unless it gets ignored like satellite dishes.