Satellite,TV and Radio Antenna

Planning Permission

Before you buy or rent an antenna, check whether you need planning permission, listed building consent, or permission from the landlord or owner. You are responsible for placing antennas in the appropriate position.

The planning permission and permitted development regimes for antenna are shown below, you can also view our good practice guidance on installing an antenna (which contains supplementary advice on installation).

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.

The regime splits buildings up into four categories:

A glossary of terms is available below.

Houses and buildings up to 15 metres high

Unless your house (or the building in which you live) is in a designated area, you do not need to apply for planning permission to install an antenna on your property, as long as:

Antenna mini guide

there will be no more than two antennas on the property overall. (These may be on the front or back of the building, on the roof, attached to the chimney, or in the garden);
if you are installing a single antenna, it is not more than 100 centimetres in any linear dimension (not including any projecting feed element, reinforcing rim, mounting and brackets);
if you are installing two antennas, one is not more than 100 centimetres in any linear dimension, and the other is not more than 60 centimetres in any linear dimension (not including any projecting feed element, reinforcing rim, mounting and brackets);
the cubic capacity of each individual antenna is not more than 35 litres;
an antenna fitted onto a chimney stack is not more than 60 centimetres in any linear dimension; and
an antenna mounted on the roof only sticks out above the roof when there is a chimney-stack. In this case, the antenna should not stick out more than 60 centimetres above the highest part of the roof, or above the highest part of the chimney stack, whichever is lower.

Houses and buildings up to 15m high in designated areas

If your house (or the building in which you live) is in a designated area, you do not need to apply for planning permission to install an antenna on your property, as long as:

there will be no more than two antennas on the property overall;
if you are installing a single antenna, it is not be more than 100 centimetres in any linear dimension (not including any projecting feed element, reinforcing rim, mounting and brackets);
if you are installing two antennas, one is not more than 100 centimetres in any linear dimension, and the other is not more than 60 centimetres in any linear dimension (not including any projecting feed element, reinforcing rim, mounting and brackets);
the cubic capacity of each individual antenna is not more than 35 litres;
an antenna fitted onto a chimney stack is not more than 60 centimetres in any linear dimension;
an antenna mounted on the roof only sticks out above the roof when there is a chimney-stack. In this case, the antenna should not stick out more than 60 centimetres above the highest part of the roof, or above the highest part of the chimney stack, whichever is lower; and
an antenna is not installed on a chimney, wall, or a roof slope which faces onto, and is visible from, a road or a Broads waterway. (If you are not sure, get advice from the local planning authority.)

Buildings 15 metres high or more

Unless your building is in a designated area, you do not need to apply for planning permission to install a dish or other antenna on your property, as long as:

there will be no more than four antennas on the building overall;
the size of any antenna is not more than 130 centimetres in any linear dimension (not including any projecting feed element, reinforcing rim, mounting and brackets);
the cubic capacity of each individual antenna is not more than 35 litres;
an antenna fitted onto a chimney stack is not more than 60 centimetres in any linear dimension; and
an antenna mounted on the roof does not stick out above the roof more than 300 centimetres above the highest part of the roof.

Buildings 15 metres high or more in designated areas

If your building is in a designated area, you do not need to apply for planning permission to install an antenna on your property, as long as:

there will be no more than four antennas on the building overall;
the size of any antenna is not more than 130 centimetres in any linear dimension (not including any projecting feed element, reinforcing rim, mounting and brackets);
the cubic capacity of each individual antenna is not more than 35 litres;
an antenna fitted onto a chimney stack is not more than 60 centimetres in any linear dimension;
an antenna mounted on the roof does not stick out above the roof more than 300 centimetres above the highest part of the roof; and
an antenna is not installed on a chimney, wall, or a roof slope which faces onto, and is visible from, a road or a Broads waterway. (If you are not sure, get advice from the local planning authority.)

Any work which does not meet all these requirements will require planning permission

Additional Information

Glossary

Linear dimension – This means taking the measurement in a straight line, starting from the edge of the antenna to the opposite edge of the antenna. The measurement should only include the antenna itself and not any attachment needed to fix it to the wall or roof, or connect it up to your equipment.

Projecting feed element – In a dish antenna, the incoming signals are received by the dish which then ‘reflects’ the signal into a central ‘feed horn’. This is usually positioned at a short distance (a few inches) away from the dish and held in place by projecting arm or arms.

Cubic capacity – This means the volume (the amount of in 3 dimensions) occupied by an object using known method of measurement.

Flats

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.

Designated Areas

Designated areas are:

conservation areas;
National Parks;
Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty
the Norfolk or Suffolk Broads.
World Heritage Sites *

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.

* Introduced on 1 October, 2008 by the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (Amendment) (No. 2) (England) Order 2008, SI 2008/2362).

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.

Guidance on installing your antennae

View detailed guidance on the installation of antennae.

Related legislation

Building Regulations

Building regulations do not generally apply but you should take care that the installation is safe and the fixing point stable.

Disclaimer

This is an introductory guide and is not a definitive source of legal information. Read the full disclaimer here.

This guidance relates to the planning regime for England. Policy in Wales may differ. If in doubt contact your Local Planning Authority.