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DES 10 - External Fittings to Buildings

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AIM

To ensure that the addition of external fittings does not detract from the appearance of buildings and the general street scene.

POLICY

External fittings to buildings should:

not detract from the visual amenity of the property;
be positioned as unobtrusively as possible, preferably to the rear of the property;
be coloured to match their background, where located on public elevations and where acceptable to the Council;
not be located on a public elevation of a listed building; and
not be detrimental to the character or setting of a listed building or to the visual amenity of a conservation area.

POLICY JUSTIFICATION

This policy supports the Plan’s Development Strategy to secure a high quality of environment (see Part 2, PEOPLE, Existing Residential Areas, paragraph 3.62).

As properties are being updated for modern use, more external fittings are being added to satisfy business and lifestyle requirements. Some of these features (which range from burglar alarms to satellite dishes and solar panels), when fitted on the public elevations of buildings, can detract from the visual amenity of both the property and its surroundings. By ensuring that fittings to properties are carefully located and designed, the Council will seek to ensure that the visual amenity of buildings is not adversely affected. This is particularly important in relation to older Victorian and Georgian property, listed buildings and property within conservation areas (see policy DES 3: Protecting and Enhancing the City’s Historic Environment and development guide DG/DES 3: Design Guidance for Listed Buildings and Properties in Conservation Areas).

FURTHER GUIDANCE

DEFINING WHAT REQUIRES PLANNING PERMISSION

These tables reflect the Council’s view of where planning permission and listed building consent are required and do not emanate from planning legislation.

Gas and Water Downpipes
Type of property	Listed Buildings		Unlisted buildings in a conservation area	Buildings in the rest of the city
	Listed Building Consent	Planning Permission	Planning Permission	Planning Permission
Houses	Yes	Yes	No	No
Flats/Other Buildings	Yes	Yes	Yes^a	No

Gas and Electricity Meter Boxes
Type of property	Listed Buildings		Unlisted buildings in a conservation area	Buildings in the rest of the city
	Listed Building Consent	Planning Permission	Planning Permission	Planning Permission
Houses	Yes	Yes^b	Yes^b	No
Flats/Other Buildings	Yes	Yes^b	Yes^b	No

Central Heating Flues, Burglar Alarms and Security Lights
Type of property	Listed Buildings		Unlisted buildings in a conservation area	Buildings in the rest of the city
	Listed Building Consent	Planning Permission	Planning Permission	Planning Permission
Houses	Yes	Yes	Yes^c	No
Flats/Other Buildings	Yes	Yes	Yes^c	No

External Grilles fitted into a Wall (e.g. for ventilation of a shower room, etc)
Type of property	Listed Buildings		Unlisted buildings in a conservation area	Buildings in the rest of the city
	Listed Building Consent	Planning Permission	Planning Permission	Planning Permission
Houses	Yes	No	Yes^c	No
Flats/Other Buildings	Yes	No	Yes^c	No

Wind Turbines on a Building
Type of property	Listed Buildings		Unlisted buildings in a conservation area	Buildings in the rest of the city
	Listed Building Consent	Planning Permission	Planning Permission	Planning Permission
Houses	Yes	Yes^d	Yes^d	Yes^d
Flats/Other Buildings	Yes	Yes^d	Yes^d	Yes^d
Note: A wind turbine erected on a pole, not physically attached to the property, will always require planning permission.

CCTV Cameras and Satellite Dishes

Planning legislation regarding the erection of CCTV cameras and satellite dishes is complex and advice should always be sought from the Council as to whether or not planning permission is required.

a When the wall is visible from a public area, such as a road or footpath.

b Unless constructed by a public gas supplier.

c When the wall, on which the apparatus is fitted, is visible from a public area, such as a road or footpath.

d In certain circumstances, these will not require planning permission. Telephone 0141 287 8555 to check, with details of the dimensions of the turbine and where on the building it would be located.

For guidance on central heating flues, external grilles, burglar alarms, security lights, CCTV cameras, domestic satellite dishes, downpipes, meter boxes, micro wind turbines and solar panels, see development guide DG/DES 9: External Fittings to Buildings.

For guidance on the potential adverse impact on listed buildings and the character of conservation areas, see Policy DES 3: Protecting and Enhancing the City’s Historic Environment and development guide DG/DES 3: Design Guidance for Listed Buildings and Properties in Conservation Areas.

Note: The title deeds of a tenemental property or other building may require that the agreement of other owners be obtained before a new external fitting can be installed. Any grant of planning permission does not remove this obligation, which is a separate legal matter.

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