SUMMARY GUIDE TO USE CLASSES ORDER AND PERMITTED CHANGES OF USE

Use Classes Order

Including 2005

Amendment (See note 1)

Use

Classes

Order 1972

Description

General Permitted Development

(Amendment) Order 2005 (see note

2)

A1

Shops (see note 3) Class I

Shops, retail warehouses, hairdressers,

undertakers, travel and ticket agencies, post

offices, dry cleaners, Internet Cafes etc.

No permitted changes

Pet shops, Cat-meat shops, Tripe shops,

sandwich bars

No permitted changes

Showrooms, domestic hire shops, funeral

directors

No permitted changes

A2

Financial and Professional

Services (see note 3)

Class II

Banks, Building societies, estate and

employment agencies, Professional and

Financial Services, betting offices

Permitted change to A1 where a

ground floor display window exists.

A3

Restaurants and Cafes Restaurants, snack bars, cafes Permitted change to A1 or A2

A4

Drinking Establishments Pubs and bars Permitted change to A1, A2, A3

A5

Hot Food Takeaways Hot Food Takeaway Permitted change to A1, A2, A3

Sui Generis (see note 4)

Shops selling and/or displaying motor vehicles,

retail warehouse clubs, launderettes, taxi or

vehicle hire businesses, amusement centres,

petrol filling stations

No Permitted change

B1

Business (see note 5)

Class II

(a) Offices, not within A2 Permitted change to B8 where no

more than 235m²

(b)

Research and development, studios,

laboratories, high technology

Permitted change to B8 where no

more than 235m²

Class III

(c) Light Industry Permitted change to B8 where no

more than 235m²

B2

General Industry

(see note 6)

Class IV-IX General Industry Permitted change to B1 or B8

B8 limited to no more than 235m²

B8

Storage or Distribution Class X Wholesale warehouses, distribution centres,

repositories

Permitted change to B1 where no

more than 235m²

Sui Generis Any works registerable under the Alkali, etc.

Works Regulation Act 1906 No Permitted change

C1

Hotels (see note 7) Class XI Hotels, boarding and guest houses No Permitted change

C2

Residential Institutions Class XII Residential schools and colleges No Permitted change

Class XIV Hospitals and convalescent/nursing homes No Permitted change

C3

Dwelling Houses (see note

8)

Dwellings, small businesses at home,

communal housing of elderly and handicapped

people

No Permitted change

Sui Generis Hostel No Permitted change

D1

Non-residential Institutions Class XIII Places of worship, Church Halls No Permitted change

Class XV Clinics, health centres, crèches, day nurseries,

consulting rooms No Permitted change

Class XVI Museums, public halls, libraries, art galleries,

exhibition halls No Permitted change

Non - residential education and training centres No Permitted change

D2

Assembly and Leisure Class XVII Cinemas, music and concert halls No Permitted change

Class XVIII Dance, Sports halls, Swimming baths, skating

rinks, gymnasiums No Permitted change

Other indoor and outdoor sports and leisure

uses, bingo halls, casinos No Permitted change

Sui Generis

(See note 4) Class XVII Theatres, night-clubs, No Permitted change

SUMMARY GUIDE TO USE CLASSES ORDER

AND PERMITTED CHANGES OF USE

NOTES:

1. The Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987 is the principle order which has been subject to a number of

subsequent amendments. Changes of use within a specific class do not require planning permission provided that the use

subsists, the planning permission has been implemented and no restrictive condition is attached. The Town and Country Planning

(Use Classes) Amendment (England) Order 2005 introduced new A4 and A5 classes and placed motor car showrooms and night

clubs in Sui Generis category.

2. The permitted development rights shown in the final column do not require planning permission where all the criteria set out in the

order are met and no restrictive conditions apply.

3. The General Permitted Development Order 1995 provides for permitted change of use of a building from Class A1 or Class A2 to

a mixed use for the purposes of either Class A1 or Class A2 and as a single flat, and from such a mixed use to Class A1 or Class

A2 use provided the Class A1 or Class A2 use is situated on a floor below the single flat and various other conditions are met,

4. Sui Generis is a term, which refers to a use on its own. Any planning use not falling within a specific class within the Use Classes

Order falls within this category.

5. A B1 use must be capable of being undertaken "in any residential area without detriment to the amenity of that area by reason of

noise, vibration, smell, fumes, smoke, soot, ash, dust or grit".

6. The Use Classes (Amendment) Order 1995 amends the 1987 Order by omitting Classes B4 - B7 (special industrial groups B - E).

Industrial processes previously within these classes now fall within Class B2 (general industrial).

7. A C1 use is defined as a hotel or a boarding or guesthouse where, in each case, no significant element of care is provided.

8. Six or less residents unless living together as a family.

9. It should be noted that permitted changes of use identified above are ratchet changes, i.e. cannot be made in reverse.

10. Various other permitted development rights exist for, inter alia, industrial and warehouse buildings, dwelling houses, agricultural

buildings, schools, colleges, universities, hospitals and development by statutory undertakers.

11. The above is intended as a general guide only. Reference must be made in the final instance to the Town and Country

Planning Act 1990, as amended the Use Classes (Amendment) Order 2005, and General Permitted Development

(Amendment) Order 2005 and written confirmation obtained from the Local Planning Authority that no consent is

required.