RadioBanter - View Single Post - Planning permission

January 9th 05, 07:15 PM

wrote:
Steve H wrote:

Simple Gareth, buy a scam mast, less than 12 foot tall so no
planning
problems. even Liz might approve...

Not so, GPDO 1995 states that structures (masts and antennas) under 3m
(~9'9") do not require planning permission, if sited at least 2m
(~6'6") from any boundary, and at least 5m (~16'3") from a neighbours
building. This is modified to the height of your ridge line (not
chimney) visible by an average sized adult standing on the pavement at
the front of your dwelling, if you have the structure attached to one
of the existing walls of your property (not the front wall visible from
the pavement). Exclusions are made for non-commercial antennas that
are similar in size to a Broadcast TV Antenna & Mast, which may be
erected on the chimney (I've had a 2 ele 6m beam on a rotator excluded
under this provision).

At my last QTH, I had no planning permission for a ground mounted
Butternut HF9V, the Planning Enforcement Officer that made a visit,
said that an application was not required as it was under 4m tall
(~13'0")?!?

Sounds like when he actually saw it, he realised it wasn't worth
bothering about after all. Since he couldn't change the law for you, he
re-valued the metre instead.

Actually Planning Officers have more discretion about "minor
developments" than they will readily admit to. By going in for an
informal chat, and taking along some mocked-up digital photographs
showing what the proposed antennas would look like, I got a letter
formally stating that my small crank-up mast and VHF yagis would not
require planning permission.

The Planning Officer came out with a big multi-part ring binder
(something along the lines of "How To Become A Planning Officer In 26
Weekly Instalments"). This had a whole chapter on amateur radio
antennas, including photos of masts and antennas that had received
planning permission, and even bigger ones that had gone through on
appeal. After he had compared those with my own modest proposal, he
became much more co-operative.

Your experience may vary, but an informal preliminary chat with the help
of some mocked-up images can never do any harm.

--
73 from Ian G3SEK 'In Practice' columnist for RadCom (RSGB)
http://www.ifwtech.co.uk/g3sek