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NISR 2026/80 Planning Reverse Vending Machine Regulations

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Summary

The Department for Infrastructure (Northern Ireland) has made the Planning (General Permitted Development) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2026, which creates a new Class E permitted development right for reverse vending machines at shops. The Order comes into operation on 13 May 2026 and sets out specific conditions including a 4-metre height limit, 80 square metre floor space limit, 2-metre wall protrusion limit, and a 15-metre minimum distance from residential buildings. Development within conservation areas, World Heritage Sites, or areas of special scientific interest is not permitted. Operators must remove machines and reinstate sites when no longer in operation.

“The installation, alteration or replacement of a reverse vending machine in a wall of a shop or within the curtilage of a shop.”

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What changed

This Order adds a new Class E to Part 34 of the Schedule to the Planning (General Permitted Development) Order (Northern Ireland) 2015, creating a permitted development right for the installation, alteration, or replacement of reverse vending machines in shop walls or within shop curtilages. The new right is subject to detailed conditions limiting machine height to 4 metres, floor space to 80 square metres, wall protrusion to 2 metres, and requiring a minimum 15-metre distance from residential buildings. Development is excluded from conservation areas, World Heritage Sites, and areas of special scientific interest. Operators must remove machines and reinstate sites when no longer in operation.

Shop operators, retailers, and construction firms undertaking permitted development should verify that any reverse vending machine installation meets all conditions before commencing work. Planning permission is not required for compliant installations, but projects near residential properties, conservation areas, or listed buildings require additional consideration. The reinstatement obligation means operators must budget for site restoration costs when machines are decommissioned.

Archived snapshot

Apr 24, 2026

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Status:

This is the original version (as it was originally made). This item of legislation is currently only available in its original format.

Statutory Rules of Northern Ireland

2026 No. 80

Planning

The Planning (General Permitted Development) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2026

Made

22nd April 2026

Coming into operation

13th May 2026

The Department for Infrastructure makes the following Order in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 32 and 247(6) of the Planning Act (Northern Ireland) 2011() and now vested in it().

Citation and commencement

  1. This Order may be cited as the Planning (General Permitted Development) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2026 and comes into operation on 13th May 2026.

Amendment of the Planning (General Permitted Development) Order (Northern Ireland) 2015

  1. In the Schedule (development permitted under Article 3) to the Planning (General Permitted Development) Order (Northern Ireland) 2015() Part 34 (Shops, financial and professional services establishments) is amended as set out in the Schedule to this order.

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department for Infrastructure on 22nd April 2026.

Rosemary Daly

A senior officer of the Department for Infrastructure

Article 2

SCHEDULE AMENDMENTS TO PART 34 OF THE SCHEDULE TO THE PLANNING (GENERAL PERMITTED DEVELOPMENT) ORDER (NORTHERN IRELAND) 2015

  1. After Class D insert—

| “ Class E |
| Permitted development | E. | The installation, alteration or replacement of a reverse vending machine in a wall of a shop or within the curtilage of a shop. |
| Development not permitted | E.1 | Development is not permitted by Class E if—

(a) the reverse vending machine would exceed 4 metres in height;

(b) the floor space of the reverse vending machine would exceed 80 square metres;

(c) in the case of a reverse vending machine installed in the wall of a shop, any part of the machine would protrude more than 2 metres beyond the outer surface of that wall;

(d) it would be situated within 15 metres of the curtilage of a building used for residential purposes;

(e) it would face onto and be within 5 metres of a road;

(f) the development would be within the curtilage of a listed building unless listed building consent has previously been granted;

(g) the development would be within a conservation area, a World Heritage Site, an area of special scientific interest or a site of archaeological interest. |
| Conditions | E.2 | Development is permitted by Class E subject to the following conditions—

(a) where the reverse vending machine is no longer in operation the development must be removed as soon as reasonably practicable; and

(b) the land on which the development was situated, including any wall in which the development was installed must, as soon as reasonably practicable, and so far as reasonably practicable, be reinstated to its condition before the development was carried out. |
| Interpretation of Class E | E.3 | For the purposes of Class E-

“ deposit item ” has the meaning given in regulation 4 of The Deposit Scheme for Drinks Containers (England and Northern Ireland) Regulations 2025 ();

“ reverse vending machine ” means a machine for the purpose of accepting deposit items, reimbursing deposits for each deposit item accepted, and retaining the deposit item for collection within the meaning of The Deposit Scheme for Drinks Containers (England and Northern Ireland) Regulations 2025 and any associated enclosure, building, canopy or other structure;

“ shop ” means a building used for any purpose within Class A1 of the Schedule to the Use Classes Order. ” |

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order amends the Planning (General Permitted Development) Order (Northern Ireland) 2015 (“ the 2015 Order ”).

The Schedule of this Order amends Part 34 (Shops, financial and professional services establishments) of the Schedule to the 2015 Order to expand the scope of that permitted development by adding a new Class E (Reverse vending machines).

The Explanatory Memorandum is available alongside the Order on the government’s website www.legislation.gov.uk.

(1) 2011 c.25 (N.I.)

(2) S.R. 2016 No. 76, article 8(1)(b) and Schedule 5, Part 2.

(3) S.R. 2015 No. 70 as amended by S.R. 2020 No. 292

(4) S.I. 2025 No.67

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Named provisions

Class E Permitted development Development not permitted Conditions Interpretation of Class E

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Last updated

Classification

Agency
NI DfI
Published
May 13th, 2026
Instrument
Rule
Branch
Executive
Legal weight
Binding
Stage
Final
Change scope
Substantive
Document ID
S.R. 2026 No. 80

Who this affects

Applies to
Retailers Construction firms
Industry sector
4411 Retail Trade
Activity scope
Retail development Product recycling
Threshold
Height not exceeding 4 metres; floor space not exceeding 80 square metres; wall protrusion not exceeding 2 metres; minimum 15 metres from residential buildings; minimum 5 metres from roads; excludes conservation areas, World Heritage Sites, and areas of special scientific interest
Geographic scope
United Kingdom GB

Taxonomy

Primary area
Planning
Operational domain
Compliance
Topics
Environmental Protection Consumer Protection

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