Shipping containers can be a great addition to your home, as they can be converted and used for a range of purposes, from a shed for storage, a garden room or office, or a motorbike garage. But do you need permission to have one on your land?
In the UK, shipping containers are usually classed as temporary structures, making them exempt from any planning permission requirements. However, it is wise to check with your local authority first, as regulations vary around the UK, and you also want to avoid upsetting your neighbours!
The planning permission exemption is similar to that used by caravans and mobile homes parked on your property. Containers are portable, and not designed to be permanent structures.
There could be some restrictions, for example, if you live in an area of actual beauty, which may mean there are extra conditions attached to planning permissions.
A single shipping container will be classed very differently to a yard full of containers, or if you plan to build a house from them. A commercial operation such as a self-storage yard, or a house or a large structure made from shipping containers will almost certainly need planning permission.
If you are a farmer or a small industrial unit, wanting a single container on your site to store your gear that's relevant to your day to day trade or business then in the vast majority of cases no planning will be required.
We love shipping containers, but we also know they are not the most appealing of structures. But they can be modified to blend into their surroundings, such as with wooden cladding, or by using bushes and hedgerows to hide it. Even painting it green would help it blend into the landscape.
If you do need permission for a container, then planning on how you are hiding it can help with your application.
If you’re looking for a used shipping container for sale in the UK, visit our website today.