Class F – CCTV for security of a building

If you wish to install CCTV at home or the office, then Class F allows for the installation, alteration or replacement on a building of a closed circuit television (or CCTV for short) camera to be used for security purposes.

You can’t install CCTV on a listed building or within a scheduled monument without planning permission.

You can have a maximum of 16 cameras on a building as long as not more than 4 are along any one wall. It can’t exceed 0.75 metres by 0.25 metres by 0.25 metres in size or less than 2.5m above ground level or within 10m of another camera. Finally the CCTV camera can’t protrude more than 1m or be within 1m of another wall.

Installation of CCTV under Class F could be withdrawn via a restriction on the building usually through a previous planning application or via restrictions in a conservation area etc.

Legislation

Class F – closed circuit television cameras [CCTV]

Permitted development

F. The installation, alteration or replacement on a building of a closed circuit television camera [CCTV] to be used for security purposes.

Development not permitted

F.1 Development is not permitted by Class F if—
       (a) the building on which the camera would be installed, altered or replaced is a listed building or a scheduled monument;
       (b) the dimensions of the camera including its housing exceed 0.75 metres by 0.25 metres by 0.25 metres;
       (c) any part of the camera would, when installed, altered or replaced, be less than 2.5 metres above ground level;
       (d) any part of the camera would, when installed, altered or replaced, protrude from the surface of the building by more than 1 metre when measured from the surface of the building;
       (e) any part of the camera would, when installed, altered or replaced, be in contact with the surface of the building at a point which is more than 1 metre from any other point of contact;
       (f) any part of the camera would be less than 10 metres from any part of another camera installed on a building;
       (g) the development would result in the presence of more than 4 cameras on the same side of the building; or
       (h) the development would result in the presence of more than 16 cameras on the building.

Conditions

F.2 Development is permitted by Class F subject to the following conditions—
       (a) the camera is, so far as practicable, sited so as to minimise its effect on the external appearance of the building on which it is situated; and
       (b) the camera is removed as soon as reasonably practicable after it is no longer required for security purposes.

Interpretation of Class F

F.3 For the purposes of Class F—
       “camera”, except in paragraph F.1(b), includes its housing, pan and tilt mechanism, infra-red illuminator, receiver, mountings and brackets; and
       “ground level” means the level of the surface of the ground immediately adjacent to the building or, where the level of the surface of the ground is not uniform, the level of the highest part of the surface of the ground adjacent to it.

CCTV Updated: 17th July 2023