Class T – electronic communication for national security purposes

Class T – electronic communication apparatus etc for national security purposes

We will not be expanding upon Class T, which is for electronic communication apparatus development for the purposes of national security including antenna, masts, radio equipment housing by the Crown, within Planning Geek at this time.

The legislation can be found below. If you need the guidance of Planning Geek in the process for Class T, please contact us for any assistance or book a Zoom call today.

Legislation

Class T – electronic communication apparatus etc for national security purposes

Permitted development

T. Development by or on behalf of the Crown for national security purposes in, on, over or under Crown land, consisting of—

(a) the installation, alteration or replacement of any electronic communications apparatus;

(b) the use of land in an emergency for a period not exceeding 6 months to station and operate moveable electronic communications apparatus required for the replacement of unserviceable electronic communications apparatus, including the provision of moveable structures on the land for the purposes of that use; or

(c) development ancillary to radio equipment housing.

Development not permitted

T.1 Development is not permitted by Class T(a) if—

(a) in the case of the installation of apparatus (other than on a building) the apparatus, excluding any antenna, would exceed a height of 15 metres above ground level;

(b) in the case of the alteration or replacement of apparatus already installed (other than on a building), the apparatus, excluding any antenna, would, when altered or replaced, exceed the height of the existing apparatus or a height of 15 metres above ground level, whichever is the greater;

(c) in the case of the installation, alteration or replacement of apparatus on a building, the height of the apparatus (taken by itself) would exceed the height of the existing apparatus or—
(i) 15 metres, where it is installed, or is to be installed, on a building which is 30 metres or more in height; or
(ii) 10 metres in any other case,
whichever is the greater;

(d) in the case of the installation, alteration or replacement of apparatus on a building, the highest part of the apparatus when installed, altered or replaced would exceed the height of the highest part of the building by more than the height of the existing apparatus or—
(i) 10 metres, where it is installed, or is to be installed, on a building which is 30 metres or more in height;
(ii) 8 metres, in the case of a building which is more than 15 metres but less than 30 metres in height; or
(iii) 6 metres in any other case,
whichever is the greater;

(e) in the case of the installation, alteration or replacement of apparatus (other than an antenna) on a mast, the height of the mast and the apparatus supported by it would, when the apparatus was installed, altered or replaced, exceed any relevant height limit specified in respect of apparatus in paragraphs (a), (b), (c) and (d), and for the purposes of applying the limit specified in paragraph (c), the words “(taken by itself)” in that paragraph are disregarded;

(f) in the case of the installation, alteration or replacement of any apparatus other than—
(i) a mast;
(ii) an antenna;
(iii) any apparatus which does not project above the level of the surface of the ground; or
(iv) radio equipment housing,
the ground or base area of the structure would exceed the ground or base area of the existing structure or 1.5 square metres, whichever is the greater;

(g) in the case of the installation, alteration or replacement of an antenna on a building (other than a mast) which is less than 15 metres in height; on a mast located on such a building; or, where the antenna is to be located below a height of 15 metres above ground level, on a building (other than a mast) which is 15 metres or more in height—
(i) the antenna is to be located on a wall or roof slope facing a highway which is within 20 metres of the building on which the antenna is to be located, unless it is essential for operational purposes that the antenna is located in that position; or
(ii) in the case of dish antennas, the size of any dish would exceed the size of the existing dish when measured in any dimension or 1.3 metres when measured in any dimension, whichever is the greater;

(h) in the case of the installation, alteration or replacement of a dish antenna on a building (other than a mast) which is 15 metres or more in height, or on a mast located on such a building, where the antenna is located at a height of 15 metres or above, measured from ground level the size of any dish would exceed the size of the existing dish when measured in any dimension or 1.3 metres when measured in any dimension, whichever is the greater;

(i) in the case of the installation of a mast, on a building which is less than 15 metres in height, such a mast would be within 20 metres of a highway, unless it is essential for operational purposes that the mast is installed in that position; or

(j) in the case of the installation, alteration or replacement of radio equipment housing—
(i) the development is not ancillary to the use of any other electronic communications apparatus; or
(ii) the development would exceed 90 cubic metres or, if located on the roof of a building, the development would exceed 30 cubic metres.

T.2 Development consisting of the installation of apparatus is not permitted by Class T(a) on article 2(3) land unless—

(a) the land on which the apparatus is to be installed is, or forms part of, a site on which there is existing electronic communication apparatus;

(b) the existing apparatus was installed on the site on or before the relevant day; and

T.3— (1) Subject to sub-paragraph (2), development is not permitted by Class T(a) if it will result in the installation of more than 1 item of apparatus (“the original apparatus”) on a site in addition to any item of apparatus already on that site on the relevant day.

(2) In addition to the original apparatus which may be installed on a site by virtue of Class T(a), for every 4 items of apparatus which existed on that site on the relevant day, 1 additional item of small apparatus may be installed.

(3) In sub-paragraph (2), “small apparatus” means—

(a) a dish antenna, other than on a building, not exceeding 5 metres in diameter and 7 metres in height;

(b) an antenna, other than a dish antenna and other than on a building, not exceeding 7 metres in height;

(c) a hard standing or other base for any apparatus described in paragraphs (a) and (b), not exceeding 7 metres in diameter;

(d) a dish antenna on a building, not exceeding 1.3 metres in diameter and 3 metres in height;

(e) an antenna, other than a dish antenna, on a building, not exceeding 3 metres in height;

(f) a mast on a building, not exceeding 3 metres in height;

(g) equipment housing not exceeding 3 metres in height and of which the area, when measured at ground level, does not exceed 9 square metres.

Conditions

T.4— (1) Class T(a) and Class T(c) development is permitted subject to the condition that any antenna or supporting apparatus, radio equipment housing or development ancillary to radio equipment housing constructed, installed, altered or replaced on a building in accordance with that permission is, so far as is practicable, sited so as to minimise its effect on the external appearance of the building.

(2) Class T(a) development consisting of the installation of any additional apparatus on article 2(3) land is permitted subject to the condition that the apparatus is installed as close as is reasonably practicable to any existing apparatus.

(3) Class T(b) development is permitted subject to the condition that any apparatus or structure provided in accordance with that permission is, at the expiry of the relevant period, removed from the land and the land restored to its condition before the development took place.

(4) Class T development—

(a) on article 2(3) land or land which is, or is within, a site of special scientific interest; or

(b) on any other land and consisting of the construction, installation, alteration or replacement of a mast; or of an antenna on a building or structure (other than a mast) where the antenna (including any supporting structure) would exceed the height of the building or structure at the point where it is installed or to be installed by 4 metres or more; or of radio equipment housing with a volume in excess of 2.5 cubic metres; or of development ancillary to radio equipment housing, is permitted subject, except in case of emergency, to the conditions set out in T.5.

T.5— (1) The developer must, before commencing development, give notice of the proposed development to any person (other than the developer) who is an owner or tenant of the land to which the development relates—

(a) by serving the appropriate notice on every such person whose name and address is known to the developer; and

(b) where the developer has taken reasonable steps to ascertain the names and addresses of every such person, but has been unable to do so, by local advertisement.

(2) Where the proposed development consists of the installation of a mast within 3 kilometres of the perimeter of an aerodrome, the developer must, before commencing development, notify the Civil Aviation Authority, the Secretary of State for Defence or the aerodrome operator, as appropriate.

Interpretation of Class T

T.6 For the purposes of Class T—

“aerodrome operator” means the person who is for the time being responsible for the management of the aerodrome;

“appropriate notice” means a notice signed and dated by or on behalf of the developer and containing—

(a) the name of the developer;

(b) the address or location of the proposed development;

“development ancillary to radio equipment housing” means the construction, installation, alteration or replacement of structures, equipment or means of access which are ancillary to and reasonably required for the purposes of the radio equipment housing;

“mast” means a radio mast or a radio tower;

“owner” means any person who is the estate owner in respect of the fee simple, or who is entitled to a tenancy granted or extended for a term of years certain of which not less than 7 years remain unexpired;

“relevant day” means—

(a) 7th June 2006; or

(b) where apparatus is installed pursuant to planning permission granted on or after 7th June 2006, the date when that apparatus is finally installed pursuant to that permission,
whichever is later;

“relevant period” means a period which expires—

(a) 6 months from the commencement of the construction, installation, alteration or replacement of any apparatus or structure permitted by Class T(a) or Class T(c) or from the commencement of the use permitted by Class T(b), as the case may be; or

(b) when the need for such apparatus, structure or use ceases,

whichever occurs first; and

“tenant” means the tenant of an agricultural holding any part of which is comprised in the land to which the proposed development relates.

Communication security Page Updated: 21st August 2023