Do you need planning permission for a shipping container – or can you just plonk one down in your garden?
You’ve found the perfect shipping container. It’s affordable, it fits your site, and you’ve got delivery sorted. But just before you start laying railway sleepers and making space next to the compost bin… a niggling question arises: Is this even allowed?
Whether you’re buying a container for storage, an office, or a pop-up shop, the legal side is often misunderstood. Most people assume you don’t need planning permission – until a neighbour complains, the council turns up, or you try to sell your house and the solicitor starts twitching.
This guide breaks down the ins, outs, and grey areas of container legality in the UK. Spoiler: it’s simpler than you think — but still worth getting right.
Shipping containers are considered temporary structures. They don’t need foundations, they can be moved, and in most cases, they don’t require planning permission.
But as with everything in the UK involving land, neighbours, and local councils — there are exceptions. And they’re exactly the kind of exceptions that come back to bite you after the container has been delivered and filled with your finest cordless drills and gardening gear.
At Containerlift, we’ve delivered to thousands of residential and commercial properties. In that time, we’ve seen a few patterns emerge:
✅ Homeowners generally don’t need permission — unless they live in a listed building or conservation area
✅ Businesses sometimes do — depending on how long it stays and what it’s used for
✅ Rural deliveries raise fewer eyebrows than urban ones
✅ It’s always easier to ask before the container arrives
In this guide we’ll explain:
- When you do and don’t need planning permission
- The role of container use, size, and location
- What happens if you skip the legal bit
- Tips to stay compliant without drowning in red tape
🏡 1. Do You Need Planning Permission for a Container?
Short answer: Often no, sometimes yes, and it depends on 3 key factors:
- Where you place it
- What it’s used for
- How long it’s there
Shipping containers are typically exempt under UK planning law if they are:
- Temporary structures
- Not permanently fixed
- Not used for residential accommodation
- Not in front of the property boundary
2. Residential Use – The Garden Scenario
You don’t usually need permission if:
- It’s in your back garden
- It’s for storage
- It doesn’t block light or overlook neighbours
- It’s not being plumbed, wired or lived in
You might need permission if:
- You live in a conservation area
- You’re close to a public highway
- Your container is massive or ugly enough to upset the view
🚨 Planning Tip: Keep it behind the building line, under 2.5m tall, and screen it with shrubs or fencing to avoid complaints.
3. Commercial Use – Business & Industrial Sites
You’ll probably need permission if:
- It’s for long-term commercial storage
- It’s used as a permanent office, retail unit or café
- It’s in view of the public or on a prominent frontage
Councils can ask for a “Change of Use” application even if it’s a temporary container.
📎 Planning Tip: Class it as “ancillary” use to your business and demonstrate its temporary, moveable nature.
4. What If You’re Using It for Accommodation?
Whether it’s a holiday let, glamping pod or teenage den, the second someone sleeps in your container, it becomes residential development. That means:
- Planning permission required
- Building regs apply (fire safety, insulation, structure)
- Water and drainage need approval
✅ If you’re hiring for short-term on-site use (e.g. site accommodation), let us know. We can provide compliant units with ventilation and emergency exit features.
🧑⚖️ 5. What Happens If You Ignore the Rules?
- You can get an enforcement notice from your council
- You may have to remove the container at your cost
- It can affect your home insurance or mortgage
- Planning breaches can delay or derail property sales
Avoid drama. If in doubt — call your local planning office and explain clearly:
- What it’s for
- Where it’ll go
- How long it’s staying
- How you’ll make it look good
6. Ways to Stay Compliant Without the Headache
- Keep it temporary: no foundations or plumbing
- Tuck it away: back garden, behind fences
- Keep neighbours on-side: a chat over the fence works wonders
- Blend it in: use paint, cladding or screens
- Get pre-approval: especially for conservation or commercial use
💬 At Containerlift, we can provide a site plan, spec sheet and container images for council submissions.
Case Study: “Our Neighbours Objected – Until They Wanted One Too”
Rachel and Tom installed a used 10ft container in their London garden to store renovation tools. Their next-door neighbour wasn’t happy and reported it to the council.
Luckily, they had:
- Placed it behind the building line
- Kept it under 2.5m
- Used screening and matching colours
The council ruled it didn’t need permission — and the neighbour? Two months later, they called Containerlift to order one too.
“You don’t need permission to be smart — but you do need to know the rules before you go placing a 20-footer next to your roses.”
Not sure if you need permission for your container project?
We’ll walk you through it.
✅ Residential and commercial advice
✅ Site suitability check
✅ Council-ready spec sheets
👉 Speak to Cubus Containers for peace of mind.
