Introduction

As any amateur knows, the factor most likely to ensure success in amateur activities is the aerial. Most amateur aerials require planning permission from the local Council.

It follows that the consequences for an amateur of the Council refusing planning permission can be quite severe, ranging from a virtual prevention of operation to a much reduced tower height, a smaller HF beam or whatever.

To try to help Members make their way through the planning process, the Society established the Planning Advisory Committee and a Panel of members skilled in the planning process.

What needs permission?

Strictly speaking most antenna systems require planning permission unless the installation falls under one or more of the following categories:-

• The antenna is concsidered 'permitted development' (usually types simular to TV antennas and ground mount antennas up to 3m in height etc, but some local councils' allow more).
• The Antenna/mast has been present for four years or more and you can prove it. A confirmation letter from your neighbours is usually enough (single residential development only).
• The Antenna/mast is present for less than 28 days per annum.
• The antenna/mast is truly mobile.

Advice Booklet

The Society publishes a booklet Planning Permission : Advice to Members. The booklet includes all the information an amateur needs to enable him/her to produce a good planning application and hopefully obtain planning permission

Subjects tackled include :

• Steps before you produce a planning application
• Need for planning permission
• Where to apply
• Fees
• Your neighbours
• Mobile Masts
• Enforcement

The booklet is available from Headquarters and is downloadable from the "Members Only" section of this website. As this is a service for Members only, it is not available for sale as are other Society publications.

The importance of obtaining the booklet and following the steps set out cannot by overestimated. Feedback obtained at rallies and exhibitions suggests that most amateurs who do this, and have a reasonable expectation of what they want to put up, get permission or otherwise get the aerials they want.

The booklet is reviewed and updated annually - the Committee welcomes suggestions as to how it might be improved (see address at the end).

The advice contained within the RSGB Planning Booklet is just one of the many benefits of membership.

Planning Panel

The purpose of the Panel is to provide Members with one to one advice and guidance on their particular case. If, having got the booklet, you either do not feel confident taking on the planners, or your case has got beyond the advice given; contact RSGB HQ and you will be allocated to a Panel member. The Panel member will be told this at the same time: the onus is then on you to contact him. Advice of the Planning Panel is available only to RSGB members.

Panel members have skills (usually professionally) in the planning process and will have dealt with numerous amateur applications as Panel members. Panel members get no expenses from the Society for this purpose so please expect to make sure when askig for advice that they are not out of pocket, for example by providing as SASE when writing for advice.

The most useful first step is to write giving details of what has happened. Copies of relevant documents and plans will also be needed. Panel members work in different ways, but the writer would normally write back with initial advice and invite the member to ring him and discuss.

Some points : one of the first things the Panel member is likely to ask you is have you followed the steps in the booklet; and in particular do you have any neighbour problems. Having the neighbours on your side (and therefore not objecting) is a very much a good thing.

Secondly, do get allocated to a Panel member and contact him early in the process. Enforcement Notices are preceded by a Requisition for information and the Notice itself takes at least 28 days to take effect. Contacting HQ on the 27th day is neither wise nor likely to generate success as you will probably be too late to enter an Appeal.

Thirdly, it is our experience that there is considerable interaction between EMC matters and planning problems, so you may have to contact either or both Committee's depending on your individual circumstances.

The advice of the RSGB Planning Panel is just one of the many benefits of membership.

Planning Advice Committee

The Committee comprises of seven members. It's role is defined in detail in the Yearbook, but the following details give an overview:-

a. The Booklet

The Committee maintains the contents of the booklet described above so that it reflects current regulations and best practices.

b. Commenting on Department of the Environment (DoE) Guidance or local policies

The Society is consulted by the DoE when legislation or guidance effecting amateurs is in draft. The most significant advice so far as the amateur is concerned is Planning Policy Guidance Note 8 (PPG8) "Telecommunications Development". At its last revision the Committee sought, and had accepted, significant changes in the parts of the PPG which relate to interference. These changes help define and limit the powers of Councils to refuse permission because of concerns about EMC.

The Society is also consulted from time to time by individual Councils on proposed policies. The Committee welcomes this opportunity to try to shape the policy to minimise any adverse effects on amateurs in that Council's area.

c. Attendance at Rallies and Exhibitions

So far as it can, given a limited number of Committee members, the Committee wishes to be represented at major rallies and exhibitions so as to be able to provide face to face advice to Members. This will normally be under the auspices of a wider RSGB presence.

d. General coordination

The Committee co-ordinates the work of Panel members, and in particular keeps a register of decided planning appeals affecting amateurs. Although Inspectors decide appeals on planning merits, appeal decisions offer a useful insight into what criteria are considered important by the Inspectorate. Any Panel member has access to these, and can make them available for Members use.

Conclusion

Provided you are reasonable in what you want (a 100 foot tower with tribander on in the 20 foot long garden of a terraced house would not be) many amateurs get what they want provided they go about it in the right way. Keeping the neighbours on your side is vital, but Panel members have successfully taken on many cases where there has been a substantial volume of neighbour objection and still gained permission. By law, the presumption is in favour of development so do not be deterred by what you think the planners will wear. There may be some effort involved, and it may cost you some money; but satisfaction has always been being 40 over 9 into SP. I'm talking 23cm here of course. The Committee and Panel is here to try to help you do this.

Please note that neither can provide advice on individual cases unless you have first been allocated to them by HQ, and that this service is only available to RSGB Members. For further information please e-mail ar.dept@rsgb.org.uk