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Agricultural steel buildings

Steel portal frames are the standard for UK farm buildings: machinery stores, grain stores, general-purpose sheds and livestock housing. They are quick to put up, need little maintenance and can be extended bay by bay.

Typical farm building sizes

Cladding for farm buildings

• Fibre cement roof sheets resist condensation and corrosion well in livestock buildings. They need a pitch of at least about 5°.
• Profiled steel sheets are cheaper and lighter. Ask for an anti-condensation backing on roof sheets over stored machinery.
• Yorkshire boarding (spaced timber boards) above a blockwork or concrete panel base gives ventilation for livestock and hay.

Lean-tos and open fronts

A lean-to on one side is a cheap way to add covered space for machinery or feed. It usually sits well below the main eaves, typically 3 to 4 m high where it meets the building, falling to about 2.5 to 3 m at the outer edge. Open-fronted bays suit machinery stores.

Planning: permitted development and prior approval

In England, Part 6 of the General Permitted Development Order lets agricultural units of 5 hectares or more put up some farm buildings without full planning permission. Limits include a ground area of up to 1,000 m², a height limit, and distance limits from roads and from houses (livestock buildings have a 400 m rule). You still have to apply to the council for prior approval of the siting, design and appearance before starting. Smaller holdings, and buildings outside the limits, need full planning permission. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own rules.

Building regulations

A building used only for agriculture is usually exempt from the Building Regulations (Schedule 2, Class VI) if it is at least one and a half times its own height away from any building with sleeping accommodation, has a fire exit within 30 m of every point inside, and is not used mainly for retail. Workshops, farm shops and offices on a farm are not exempt.