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Class S: Crown CCTV for national security
Class S permits the Crown to install, alter or replace a CCTV camera and associated lighting on Crown land for national security purposes.
This is an England permitted development right in Part 19 of Schedule 2 to the GPDO. The relevant conditions and restrictions must be checked against the proposal.
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Permitted development can avoid a full planning application, but only if the right applies and every relevant limit and condition is met. Planning Geek can check the planning history, Article 4 directions and other restrictions, and help with a lawful development certificate or prior approval where needed.
How Class S works
The camera housing must not exceed 0.75 by 0.25 by 0.25 metres, and uniform lighting must not exceed 10 lux at ground level. The camera must be sited to minimise visual impact where practicable and removed when no longer required.
Read the current official Part 19 legislation for the complete wording and any amendments. Planning Geek can advise on the planning position and coordinate with appropriate specialists where needed.
Related: Crown land enforcement
Legislation for Class S
Class S – closed circuit television cameras for national security purposes
Permitted development
S. The installation, alteration or replacement by or on behalf of the Crown on Crown land of a closed circuit television camera and associated lighting for national security purposes.
Development not permitted
S.1 Development is not permitted by Class S if—
(a) the dimensions of the camera including its housing exceed 0.75 metres by 0.25 metres by 0.25 metres; or
(b) the uniform level of lighting provided exceeds 10 lux measured at ground level.
Conditions
S.2 Development is permitted by Class S subject to the following conditions—
(a) the camera is, so far as practicable, sited so as to minimise its effect on the external appearance of any building to which it is fixed; and
(b) the camera is removed as soon as reasonably practicable after it is no longer required for national security purposes.
Interpretation of Class S
S.3 For the purposes of Class S—
“camera”, except in paragraph S.1(a), includes its housing, pan and tilt mechanism, infra-red illuminator, receiver, mountings and brackets; and
“ground level” means the level of the surface of the ground immediately adjacent to the building to which the camera is attached or, where the level of the surface of the ground is not uniform, the level of the lowest part of the surface of the ground adjacent to it.
Explore GPDO Part 19
- Part 19 overview: Crown and national security
- Class A: General development by the Crown
- Class B: Operational Crown building extensions
- Class C: Development on operational Crown land
- Class D: Hard surfaces at Crown buildings
- Class E: Airbase operational development
- Class F: Air traffic services inside an airbase
- Class G: Air traffic services outside an airbase
- Class H: Air traffic services on operational land
- Class I: Emergency air traffic apparatus
- Class J: Temporary land use for air traffic services
- Class K: Crown surveys and investigations
- Class L: Buildings on an airbase
- Class M: Crown rail development
- Class N: Crown shipping development
- Class O: Spreading dredged material
- Class P: Lighthouses and aids to shipping
- Class Q: Crown emergency development
Page updated: 24th September 2026