Mid and East Antrim Borough Council is saddened to announce that the Mayor, Alderman Beth Adger MBE, has passed away.

A Book of Condolence has been opened at The Braid, Ballymena and online.

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Your Home and Planning Permission

Your Home and Planning Permission

In this Section

Your Home and Planning Permission p5

SECTION 7: OTHER MINOR WORKS

Oil/LPG Containers

Planning permission is not required provided that:

1. The container is for domestic purposes.

2. The container has a maximum capacity of 3,500 litres.

3. No part of the container is more than 3 metres above ground level.

4. No part of the container is on land in front of the principal or side elevation of the original house that faces a road.

5. The container is no closer than 2 metres from the rear of a property boundary with a road.

6. If you live in a house within a Conservation Area, no part of the container is on land between the principal or side elevation of the house and its boundary.

Chimneys, flues or soil and vent pipes

Planning permission is not required provided that:

1. The height of the chimney, flue or soil and vent pipe is not more than 1 metre above the highest part of the roof.

2. If you live in a house within a Conservation Area, Gracehill World Heritage Site, or the Antrim Coast and Glens Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the chimney, flue, or soil and vent pipe is not installed on the principal or side elevation of the house which faces a road.

TV Aerials

Planning permission is not required to put up a TV aerial.

Radio Masts

Planning permission is required to erect a radio mast.

Microwave antennae (includes Satellite dishes)

Planning permission is not required provided that:

1. There are no more than 2 antennae on the house or within the boundary of its curtilage.

2. If a single antenna is installed, it is not longer than 100 centimetres in length in any direction.

3. If two antennae are installed, one is not greater than 100 centimetres in length and the other not greater than 60 centimetres in length in any direction.

4. An antenna fitted to a chimney stack:
a. is not greater than 60 centimetres in length in any direction.
b. does not protrude above the chimney.

5. The antenna has a maximum cubic capacity of not more than 35 litres.

6. An antenna installed on a roof without a chimney is not higher than the highest part of the roof.

7. An antenna installed on a roof with a chimney is either:
a. not higher than the highest part of the chimney; or
b. not more than 60 centimetres above the highest part of the ridge tiles of the roof. whichever is the lower.

8. If you live in a house within a Conservation Area, Gracehill World Heritage Site, the Antrim Coast and Glens Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, or an Area of Special Scientific Interest:
a. the antenna is not installed on a chimney, wall or roof slope facing onto and visible from a road,
and
b. is not installed on a building over 15 metres high.

Note: Where it is practicable, antennae should be positioned so as to minimise its effect on the external appearance of the building.

Antennae should be removed when no longer needed for reception or transmission purposes.

The length of an antenna is its maximum dimension measured in any linear direction, but the measurement does not include any projecting feed element, reinforcing rim, mounting or brackets.

Closed-circuit television cameras (CCTV)

Planning permission is not required to install, change or replace a CCTV camera on a building for security purposes provided that:

1. The camera is not on a listed building, within a conservation area, or a site of archaeological interest.

2. Its dimensions, including its housing, are less than 75 cm x 25 cm x 25 cm.

3. It is positioned more than 2.5 metres above ground level.

4. It will not protrude more than 1 metre from the surface of the building’s wall.

5. It will not be within 10 metres of any other camera installed on the building.

6. It does not result in more than 4 cameras on any one elevation of the building, or more than 16 cameras in total on the building.

Caravan, motorhome or boat in a garden or driveway

Planning permission is not required to park a caravan, motorhome or boat in a garden or driveway provided it is only used for your own enjoyment and is simply parked there.

If you live in a house which is a listed building, it is likely that you will need Listed Building Consent for any building operations.

If the development is within the curtilage of a listed building, you will need to submit a planning application for the work unless listed building consent has already been granted.

The Council’s Planning Department will be able to advise you.

SECTION 8: SOLAR PANELS

Roof mounted solar panels on a pitched roof

Planning permission is not required provided that:

1. No part of the panel exceeds the highest part of the roof.

2. No part of the panel protrudes more than 20 centimetres beyond the plane of a roof slope facing onto or visible from a road.

3. Panels do not extend beyond the edge of the existing roof.

4. If you live in a house within a Conservation Area or Gracehill World Heritage Site, the roof slope on which the panels are fitted must not face onto or be visible from a road.

Roof mounted solar panels on a flat roof

Planning permission is not required provided that:

1. Panels do not extend more than 1.5 metres above the plane of the roof.

2. Panels do not extend beyond the edge of the existing roof.

3. If you live in a house within a Conservation Area or Gracehill World Heritage Site, the panels must not be visible from a road.

Wall mounted solar panels

Planning permission is not required provided that:

1. Any part of the panel which is higher than 4 metres and closer than 3 metres to the property boundary does not protrude more than 20 centimetres from the plane of the wall.

2. Panels do not extend beyond the edge of the existing wall.

3. No part of the solar panel installed on a wall or chimney is higher than the highest part of the roof.

4. If you live in a house within a Conservation Area or Gracehill World Heritage Site, the wall must not face onto or be visible from a road.

Free-standing solar equipment

Planning permission is not required provided that:

1. There is only one freestanding solar panel installation within the boundary of the curtilage of the house.

2. The area of the free-standing solar panel does not exceed 14 square metres.

3. No part of the panel exceeds 2 metres in height.

4. No part of the panel is closer to a road than the part of the house nearest the road.

Note: The primary purpose of solar equipment must be to provide heat or energy for a domestic property.

When no longer in use equipment must be removed as soon as reasonably practicable.

If you live in a house which is a listed building, it is likely that you will need Listed Building Consent for any building operations.

If the development is within the curtilage of a listed building, you will need to submit a planning application for the work unless listed building consent has already been granted.

The Council’s Planning Department will be able to advise you.

SECTION 9: DOMESTIC BIOMASS AND HEAT PUMPS

Containers for storing solid biomass fuel

Planning permission is not required provided that:

1. An above ground container does not exceed 6,500 litres in capacity or more than 3 metres above ground level in height.

2. No part of the container is closer to a road than the part of the house nearest the road.

3. If you live in a house within a Site of Archaeological Interest or an Area of Special Scientific Interest, the container is not below ground.

A flue for a biomass or combined heat and power heating system

Planning permission is not required provided that:

1. The height of the flue is no more than 1 metre higher than the highest part of the roof.

2. If you live in a house within a Conservation Area or Gracehill World Heritage Site, the flue is not on a wall or roof slope forming the principal or side elevation which is visible from a road.

A ground or water source heat pump within the curtilage of a dwelling

Planning permission is not required provided that:

1. No part of the pump or its housing which is within 3 metres of the boundary of the curtilage of the house exceeds 4 metres in height.

2. The pump is not situated within an Area of Special Scientific Interest or a Site of Archaeological Interest.

An air source heat pump within the curtilage of a dwelling

Planning permission is not required provided that:

1. It would not result in the presence of more than one air source heat pump within the curtilage of the house.

2. No part of the pump is within 1 metre of the boundary of the curtilage of another dwelling.

3. No part of the pump is situated on land forward of a wall which faces onto the road and forms either the principal or side elevation of the existing house.

4. The height of the pump does not exceed 3 metres. The pump is not located on a roof.

5. If you live in a Conservation Area or Gracehill World Heritage Site, no part of the pump faces onto and is visible from a road.

Note: The primary purpose of all such equipment must be to provide heat or energy for a domestic supply.

When no longer in use equipment must be removed as soon as reasonably practicable.

If you live in a house which is a listed building, it is likely that you will need Listed Building Consent for any building operations.

If the development is within the curtilage of a listed building, you will need to submit a planning application for the work unless listed building consent has already been granted.

The Council’s Planning Department will be able to advise you.