Is a planning application required for your antennae ?

Under the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995 (as amended), you have a general permission to install an antennas up to a specific size on property without the need for planning permission. This general permission depends on your house type and area. Your local planning authority can give you more advice.

This guide looks at permission for:

1. Houses and buildings up to 15 metres high;
2. Houses and buildings up to 15m high in designated areas;
3. Buildings 15 metres high or more; and
4. Buildings 15 metres high or more in designated areas.

If you live in a flat, these limits refer to the building as a whole and not to each separate flat.

If the number of dishes or antennas installed on the building has already reached the maximum allowed, you will need planning permission for further installations.

In this case, you may want to discuss with other residents the possibility of a shared system.

You are responsible for applying for planning permission. If necessary, you must get planning permission before you install an antenna.

Your supplier or installer may be able to give you advice whether you need to apply for planning permission for installing an antenna in a particular place. If you are not sure, you should contact the planning department of your local council, who can provide application forms for planning permission.

Designated Areas

Designated areas are:

• conservation areas;
• National Parks;
• Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty; and
• the Norfolk or Suffolk Broads.

These are defined within Schedule 1, Part 2, of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995,under Article 1(5) and are sometimes referred to as Article 1(5) land.

Listed Buildings

Some buildings are ‘listed’ because of their special historic or architectural interest. Your local planning department can tell you whether the building is ‘listed’. If you live in a ‘listed building’ and want to install an antenna on that building, you generally need to apply for ‘listed building consent’. This consent is different from planning permission. You need listed building consent for any antenna that affects the character or appearance of a listed building or its setting.