Help with aerial siting, and planning law...

KillingTime · 09-05-2008

Hello,

Please let me begin by stating that this post is about TV / FM aerial installation. I know this is a sat forum, but there's loads of installer expertise here and I'm hoping that you might be able to help.

Well........today has been interesting.

Took the day off work.
Hired some 9m ladders from HSS (£40 delivered).
Went to work on the gable wall of my house, installing a T&K \ 2 inch aerial pole (10 foot) and 4 aerials (YagiFM, Omni FM, DAB, TV).

Moved all the cables in the loft, drilled the exit hole in the wall for the cable, got the aerials mounted on the pole, all aligned correctly (relative to magnetic north), so when installed on the bracket, I'd just have to align the pole up to Mag North.

And while I was up the ladder trying to get the pole \ aerials in the T&K..........

People started coming out of there houses shouting from below that I'd better not be mounting 'that monstrosity' on the gable wall, because I'll be reported to the council.

There were 4 people from 4 different houses crowded round my ladder FFS.

By now you have probably guessed that I live on a residential housing estate, and that I have other houses surrounding me.

A picture of the pole aerial(s) can be found here:

http://www.satellites.co.uk/satellit...2&d=1210364972

All the earials would have projected above the roof line of the house (1m).

A big part of the problem (I think) is that all of those complaining open there master bed curtains onto my gable wall. So they'll see the aerials - oh - and their houses are up for sale.

When I asked what would be acceptable in their eyes on the wall - fewer aerials, thinner pole etc.. nothing. Not even a dish.

I've looked at mounting the pole in other places (4 sides to my house). Can't do the front (think there is planning law against that). Can't do the back (can't get over the conservatory roof without scaffolding - £££££££). Can't do the remaining side because the aerials would be below the roof line and pointing into a neighbours roof - rubbish reception.

Lots of other people on my street have multiple aerials on poles (attached to the chimney - not a gable wall)), and they all extend way above the top roof line. You have to do this in my area for good reception.

No matter where I mount the pole, someone is going to complain. There're just too many house proud people in my neighbourhood. So I'm going to have to keep to the letter of the law.

I plan to ask the local council planning dept, but I had to deal with them for an extension, and they are fussy as heck (cheshire), and I don't trust them (had to go to appeal - and won).

My question is; where do I stand legally when fitting aerials?

Is there a limit to how many you can have on one pole?
What about permitted development rights for aerials?

I have searched the forum, but couldn't find any guidance on this matter for aerials. If it's the same for dishes then I have a starting point.

Thanks.

**Robbo** · 09-05-2008

Hi,

I'm pretty sure there is a document available online regarding the siting of antennas etc and I think it has been uploaded to the forum somewhere, I'll see if I can locate it.

Robbo

Edit:-

New UK Dish Planning Guidelines

and the document below

an interactive guide:-

http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/upl...nna_guide.html

**Analoguesat** · 09-05-2008

This thread indicates the dish laws apply to aerials as well

New UK Dish Planning Guidelines

(note point 9)

No-one in their right mind complains about tv aerials - I cant see anything too objectional about that antenna array. Personally Id put it up and sod them - at the very worst the council could ask you to take it down again, at which point you could rethink what you wanted to do.

**rolfw** · 09-05-2008

That isn't an exceptionally large array and unless there is a specific enforcable covenant on the estate against such aerials, there is pretty much nothing they can do.

One question though, why the yagi and omni for VHF?

**satelliteman** · 09-05-2008

I thought that too. Ditch the omni.... keep the directional

The rig is nothing out of the normal that installers like myself install day in day out in all housing estate locations.

ps. consider changing the contract uhf to a high gain benchmarked aerial

***2cvbloke*** · 10-05-2008

Personally, I'd say stick it up and sod 'em, if they complain, tell them to go take down their own aerial masts too!!! It's only fair that they can't have TV & radio reception if you can't...

KillingTime · 10-05-2008

Hi,

Thanks for all the replies.

I want the omni and the yagi FM because all of the FM stations I listen to are not broadcast from the same transmitter. I thought I would use the omni for good signal strength stations and the yagi for further afield (= weaker) stations. I have an FM receiver with A and B ant input so I can switch between. Poor signal to noise transmission has a poor sound on FM.

I put the DAB in there so I wouldn't have to go back up when the changeover eventually happens.

I've read the rules, and it looks as though I'm fairly wide of the mark.

1. Only 2 aerials allowed (I've got 4).
2. Cannot extend above the roof line (my chimney is below the roof line).

Even in light of the above, plenty of my neighbours (even those complaining) are breaking the same rules (height \ number aerials).

As with all disputes, to win, you have to go from the top down.

I'll request a ruling from the local council and ask their advice. The service is not a formal planning application, but it does cost 10 quid.

Once I've got that, I'll also get the permission of the freeholder.

Then I'm bulletproof.

Thanks.

As an aside; I asked those complaining what I would have to do in order to compromise.

The replies were:

1. Use a thinner pole (1inch).
I told them it would blow down in high winds. Not interested. 2 inch is too ugly. Looks like scaffolding apparently.

2. Make it look less like a taxi mast (WTF?).

Was also accused of being weird for wanting such an array, that looked so ugly. No normal people have such installations according to those offended.

**rolfw** · 10-05-2008

The two aerial rule is for dishes, as is the roof line rule, don't think it applies to terrestrial aerials, as they need to be above the roof line to work affectively. You could use a 1.5" galvanised steel mast which would look slightly less scaffold like and perhaps lessen the impact a little, but I would leave it up there and do the checking afterwards.

Some people will complain about anything if you let them.

**satelliteman** · 10-05-2008

Tell them your run a digital feed into the home

..... I bet that will shut them up. LOL

***2cvbloke*** · 10-05-2008

Originally Posted by KillingTime

2. Make it look less like a taxi mast (WTF?).

Last time I looked, a Taxi rank mast was just basically a long pole with nothing on it!!!!

Site Services · 10-05-2008

I've just 'Googled' "planning television aerials" and just about every entry quotes - 'Normal domestic TV and radio aerials do not need planning permission'. I would, as others have suggested, put them up and see what happens..... My guess is - nothing will.

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