Do You Need Planning Permission for a Steel Building?
When Might You Not Need Planning Permission for a Steel Building?
You may not need planning permission if your steel building is:
- A farm building on land of 5 hectares or more. New agricultural buildings can usually go up under permitted development, although you still have to tell the council first.
Our guide to planning permission for agricultural buildings explains this in full.
- An extension to an existing industrial unit or warehouse. You can add up to 50% of the original floor space or 1,000 square metres, whichever is smaller. The work must stay 5 metres clear of the site boundary and cannot reduce parking or turning space.
- A small workshop or garage in a house garden. This works if the building is used non-commercially, is single storey and has eaves no higher than 2.5 metres. It should also sit behind the front of the house.
- A mobile field shelter. A steel field shelter can avoid planning permission if it stays mobile and has no permanent foundations.
When Do You Need Planning Permission for a Steel Building?
You will need planning permission if your steel building will be used for commercial or industrial uses and exceeds size limits under permitted development:
- A new industrial, commercial or warehouse building on a new site. Permitted development for industrial buildings only covers work at an existing site, so warehouse buildings, storage buildings and commercial buildings on a fresh plot need an application.
- A stable, American barn or riding arena. Horses are not classed as agriculture in planning law, so the farm rules do not cover them.
See our guide to planning permission for equestrian buildings.
- Bigger or taller than the permitted development limits. Going over the size, height or boundary limits will require an application.
- On land with extra restrictions. This covers listed building grounds, conservation areas, National Parks and sites where an Article 4 direction or an earlier planning condition has removed permitted development rights.
Do Steel Buildings Need Building Regulations Approval Too?
Building regulations for steel-framed buildings are a separate approval that checks the structure, fire safety and other technical standards. Most steel buildings need it as well as any planning permission if they are:
- Used commercially or industrially (warehouses, factories and garages).
- Large structures with floor areas larger than 15 metres.
- Intended for people to work or stay in, such as in offices and retail units.
Always check UK Government Building Regulations Guidance or consult your local council’s building control department before you start construction.
How Do You Check What Your Steel Building Needs?
Ask your local council before you order a steel-building, because it makes the final decision on which rules apply to your site. You can find yours through the Planning Portal. Tell them what the building will be used for, its size, its height and the site address, and ask if any local restrictions apply.
Building without permission is a risk worth avoiding. The council can order you to change or remove the building, and in England it has 10 years to take action against a building finished after 25 April 2024.
How Can Kit Buildings Direct Help?
We manufacture steel buildings in Derbyshire and supply them across the UK, either as a kit or fully installed. We use detailed fabrication drawings showing the size of the building and the materials, which you can take straight to your council.
If you want a building that stays inside the permitted development limits, tell us at the design stage and we will work to those sizes.
