Security grilles are a great way to secure your business. Consisting of a steel lattice that fixes over a door or window, they form a considerable barrier against intruders. Grilles are usually seen over shop fronts, but they can also be used in houses, offices and industrial buildings too.
A frequent question we receive here at Action Shutters is whether planning permission is needed to install security grilles. The answer to this question is: yes! In most cases, you will need to get permission from your local council before you can install security grilles onto your premises.
To learn more about the planning permission process and to make it more likely that the council will grant you with planning permission, read on.
What factors do councils consider before granting planning permission?
There are a few factors councils take into account before granting planning permission to install security grilles. Below are the most important ones.
- Aesthetic appeal. Depending on where the premises is, the council might deny your permission to install security grilles so as not to detract from the appearance of the other buildings. Whether this applies to you depends on your location – a denial of planning permission based on aesthetics grounds is more likely to happen on a high street or residential area than an industrial park, for example.
- The quality of the shutters. Councils are more likely to grant planning permission for high-quality security grilles than for low-quality ones.
- The building itself. If your building is listed or significant in some way, then it can make the permission process more difficult.
What can I do to improve my chances of getting planning permission?
- Choose high-quality security grilles over low-quality ones.
- Stress the fact to the council that your security grilles will deter crimes in your area. All local councils are interested in reducing crime rates, after all.
- Also, stress the fact that security grilles are less likely to be graffitied on than shutters. This is because shutters form a flat surface that’s easy to graffiti on, whereas grilles form a lattice that isn’t such an attractive target for graffiti vandals.
- To avoid being refused permission on aesthetic grounds, choose grilles that look discreet and unobtrusive.
Is there anything else I can do?
It is worth noting that grilles and shutters that are installed internally rather than externally do not normally need planning permission. In other words, by installing your grilles internally, you can avoid the planning process altogether. And in fact, grilles and shutters can be installed internally in many cases. It’s definitely something worth looking into.
Conclusion
Don’t be dismayed if you need planning permission to install a security grille onto your premises. It’s something that businesses deal with all the time and the process shouldn’t be too difficult. By following the advice in this blog post, you can hopefully get the go-ahead from your local council.
If you’re interested in expert advice, call Action Shutters on 0121 605 6005. We’re professionals at making and installing security grilles for commercial, residential and industrial purposes. We can supply the kind of high-quality, discreet security grilles that are the most likely to receive planning permission.