Planning Permission for Broadband Transmitter

I've been asked by my local council to apply for planning permission to install a 9" transmitter on the church tower in the village. FTTP is coming to the village and I'm intending to install a PTP ling to my property 1km away. I'd always understood that the Church 'Faculty' over-road the need for the planners to be involved. Has anyone come across this before? Any chapter and verse on this? And...The cost of submitting the form is a draconian £234.00...!
Roger

"I'd always understood that the Church 'Faculty' over-road the need for the planners to be involved"

I don't understand this sentence?

Is it the church adding the transmitter (9 inches) or are you as an individual, or is a company?

There is https://www.gov.uk/government/news/church-spires-to-... but that does excuse the need for meeting planning rules

A Faculty still requires potential liaising with the Planning Authority, whether the Diocesan Advisory Committee is needed to be involved or whether the Archdeacon can authorise is another matter. Normally for major work both the DAC and the Planning Authority are involved. For minor work the Archdeacon can approve.

Frankly I'd suggest a call or similar with the Archdeacon should be the first thing to do. They have authority to approve some work without the DAC being involved. And they will also know the Diocesan policy on things like rooftop transmitters.

Church are subject to the same planning conditions as anyone else - they don't have carte blanche to do what they want on their property.

Thanks for that.
HQ at the Church of England informed me their authority carried more weight than the need for planning permission.! This subsequently turns out not to be correct. Now the chain of command has been established, the PCC have agree to proceed and have approached the Diocese on my behalf as it appears there may be a precedent here in Bath and Wells. They have submitted a Faculty form to their contact in the Diocesan office, a man who is known to be supportive of community or PTP broadband. Recent developments between Councils and the CoE will help here too as their joint mission statement was very encouraging.
Thanks for your posting
Roger

Wouldn't a 9" transmitter be exempt or at least considered de-minimis, rather like a TV Aerial

Aside question - is a dish really needed for 1km? The UBNT P2P kits are supposed to be good for this distance? Some have said okay for couple of miles.

https://www.broadbandbuyer.co.uk/products/16607-ubiq...

I've used these before but only for bridging between buildings that are max 50m apart.

In reply to a post by lincsat:

Wouldn't a 9" transmitter be exempt or at least considered de-minimis, rather like a TV Aerial

It depends whether churches come under the same restrictions as houses..

WiFi antenna are classed, in planning parlance, as "microwave antenna", the same as a satellite dish. The rules limit a property to 2 such antennae. No such thing as de-minimis here.

Don't know about needing planning permission for a 9" transmitter but I would also check if you need a radio licence depending which frequency you plan to use with say the https://www.broadbandbuyer.co.uk/products/16607-ubiq... or https://www.broadbandbuyer.co.uk/products/26204-ubiq... which I have installed with great success.

OFCOM https://www.ofcom.org.uk/manage-your-licence/radioco...

Edited OFCOM web site link.

Edited by deleted (Wed 21-Feb-18 23:52:24)

That was my original thought, but Somerset Council (who deal with a large part of the rural broadband roll-out) said planning permission was required, so I'm going through the process. They may yet decide that it is NOT necessary for a 9" transmitter. I'll post their answer!

The supplier of all the kit has confirmed that no licence is needed for transmissions in the 5.8 Ghz band. I will be using the Ubiquiti- PTP kit so I'm glad to hear you've had success. Thanks.

Check if Church is a Listed Building also is it in a conservation area.
Both will make a difference and may need special permission.
What about putting it inside the roof out of sight or if there is a parapet maybe put it so it could not be seen from the ground.
It has been done around the uk before have you done any searches. ?

The Church of England HQ are fully behind the use of church towers for community or PTP broadband. District councils seem set on making broadband providers or private customers like myself jump through the planning permission hoop. The church in question is Grade II listed, but the South Somerset District Council have insisted on a application anyway. I'm not sure they even know their own rules! Listed Buildings should fall outside of that permission. Anyway, I'm going through the process and will reclaim my fee if I can prove planning permission wasn't required.
The kit I am using needs direct line of sight, so no internal installation is possible because the 'windows' are slatted. The only place is on the roof of the square tower, but hidden from the road by the turrets; which has been agreed in principle by the PCC. The Diocese has a mission statement which commits them to this kind of use, and there are precedents in the County. We're waiting for confirmation from The Faculty.