Fuel tanks

Installing a fuel tank is considered to be permitted development, not needing planning permission, subject to the following limits and conditions:

• Not more than 3,500 litres capacity
• Not forward of a wall forming the principal elevation of the "original house"*"
• Maximum overall height of three metres
• Maximum height 2.5 metres within two metres of a boundary
• Not more than half the area of land around the "original house"* would be covered by additions or other buildings
• In National Parks, the Broads, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and World Heritage Sites the maximum area to be covered by buildings, enclosures, containers and pools more than 20 metres from house to be limited to 10 square metres
• Not at the side of properties on designated land*
• Within the curtilage of listed buildings any container will require planning permission.

The permitted development regime includes liquid petroleum gas tanks as well as oil storage tanks.

Please note: The permitted development allowances described here apply to houses and not to:

• Flats and maisonettes (view our guidance on flats and maisonettes¹) 
• Converted houses or houses created through the ‘permitted development’ rights for:
  • ‘Changes of use’ (Schedule 2, Part 3, Classes G; M; MA; N; P; PA and Q) (as detailed in our change of use section²)
  • ‘New Dwellinghouses’ (Schedule 2, Part 20)
• Other buildings
• Areas where there may be a planning condition, Article 4 Direction or other restriction that limits permitted development rights.

*The term "original house" means the house as it was first built or as it stood on 1 July 1948 (if it was built before that date). Although you may not have built an extension to the house, a previous owner may have done so.

*Designated land includes national parks and the Broads, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, conservation areas and World Heritage Sites.

Permitted Development for householders – Technical Guidance

You are strongly advised to read a technical guidance document produced by the Government to help understand how permitted development rules might apply to your circumstances.

View 'Permitted development for householders – Technical guidance' on Gov.uk³

1. https://www.planningportal.co.uk/permission/common-projects/flats-and-maisonettes
2. https://www.planningportal.co.uk/permission/common-projects/change-of-use
3. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/permitted-development-rights-for-householders-technical-guidance