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"CCTV & The Law"
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Guide to Closed Circuit TV (CCTV)

"When it comes to CCTV and the law
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The Town & Country Planning
(General Permitted Development) Order 1995

This particular piece of legislation is intended to provide a basis for the control of general building works, laying out clear guidlines for what is, and is not acceptable. Bolted on to the end of this document, is a short (2 page) section known as 'Part 33' Class A, which lays down clear parameters for the siting on buildings, of external CCTV cameras.

Enforcement of this legislation is the responsibility of the Local Authority Planning Department.
 

Part 'A' refers to permitted development, and simply advises that a CCTV camera can be installed, altered or replaced, "to be used for security purposes".

Part 'A.1.' refers to those areas which are not permitted without specific planning consent (it is not clear whether this may be obtained from a Planning Officer through what is known as devolved powers, or whether it has to be approved by the area Planning Committee); so a planning approval is required if:-

(a) the camera is being installed, altered or replaced on premises which are a 'listed building', or scheduled monument.
(b) the dimensions of the camera housing are more than 750mm x 250mm x 250mm.
(c) the camera is to be sited less than 2.5 metres above the adjacent ground level.
(d) any part of the camera protrudes from the building more than a maximum of one metre.
(e) the camera has more than one point of contact with the building, again at a maximum of one metre from the wall.
(f) two cameras are located on a single building, any less than 10 metres apart.
(g) more than four cameras are fixed on any single side of a building.
(h) more than 16 cameras are fitted onto a single building.

Part 'A2', the Conditions, states that:-

(a) the camera should be sited so as to minimise its effect on the visual appearance of the building.
(b) the camera shall be removed as soon as possible, after it is no longer required.

Continued>

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