Planning for agricultural buildings

Farm buildings on larger holdings can often go ahead under agricultural permitted development, but you usually still have to notify the council first. Here is how it works.

Updated 2026-10-06

England: agricultural permitted development

On an agricultural unit of 5 hectares or more, a new building that is reasonably necessary for agriculture on that unit can often be built under Class A of Part 6 of the General Permitted Development Order. The main limits:

• The ground area of the new building is no more than 1,000 m².
• It is no higher than 12 m (3 m if within 3 km of an aerodrome perimeter).
• It is not within 25 m of the metalled part of a trunk or classified road.
• Buildings for livestock, slurry or sewage sludge within 400 m of a protected building, typically a house not part of the farm, need full planning permission.
• It is not used to house a dwelling.

Prior notification

Before building, you notify the local planning authority with a description, materials and a site plan, and pay a fee. The council has 28 days to decide whether it needs to approve the siting, design and external appearance. If you hear nothing within 28 days, you can usually proceed. Work must normally start within five years.

Smaller holdings

Units between 0.4 and 5 hectares have much more limited rights, which mainly cover extensions and alterations. A new building on a small holding usually needs a full planning application. Below 0.4 hectares, assume full permission is needed.

Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales

Each has its own agricultural permitted development rules, with different holding sizes, floor area limits and notification procedures. Northern Ireland's rules are in the Planning (General Permitted Development) Order (Northern Ireland) 2015. Speak to your council planning office before you order the steel.

Building regulations

Buildings used solely for agriculture are generally exempt from building regulations in England and Wales if no part is used as a dwelling and they are set back from houses, but the frame should still be engineered to BS 5502.

Questions