For most houses in England, a satellite dish counts as “permitted development”, which means you don’t need to apply for planning permission. There are limits on size and number, though, and the rules are tighter in conservation areas and for listed buildings. Here’s the outline, with the usual caveat: if you’re unsure, check with your local council before the dish goes up.
The usual limits for a house
The national rules for houses, as councils summarise them, are broadly:
- No more than two dishes or antennas on the property.
- A single dish up to 100 cm across.
- A dish on a chimney up to 60 cm, and it shouldn’t stick up above the chimney.
- Dishes should be sited, as far as practical, to keep their effect on the look of the building to a minimum.
Flats and blocks are different: the building owner or managing agent usually has a say, and many blocks have a shared (communal) system instead. See our commercial and communal page.
Conservation areas
Large parts of Essex and Suffolk towns sit in conservation areas, from Colchester and Saffron Walden to Southwold and Woodbridge. In a conservation area, a dish generally shouldn’t go on a chimney, or on a wall or roof slope that faces onto, and is visible from, a road. That usually means a rear wall or a lower position out of sight from the street.
Some conservation areas also have extra controls (called Article 4 Directions) that remove permitted development rights, so it’s worth checking with the council first.
Listed buildings
If your home is listed, fitting a dish that affects its character normally needs listed building consent, whatever its size or position. Talk to the council’s conservation officer before booking the work.
How we help
When we fit or move a dish, we look for a position that gets a clean signal and stays within the rules: a clear view to the south-east, out of sight from the road where that matters, and on a sound fixing. If a position needs consent, we’ll tell you before we drill anything.
Moving a dish for an extension, rendering or new windows? That’s covered on our satellite page. To book, call free on 0800 559 3914 or book direct on WhatsApp.
This is general guidance, not legal advice. Planning rules can change and some areas have local restrictions, so check with your council if you’re unsure.
Satellite dish installers near you
Local reception notes, the jobs we do most and the right number to call in each town.