A Guide to Commercial Use Classes Order
Estate Agents in Slough, Berkshire
Guide to Use Classes Order and Permitted Changes of Use
| Use Classes Order 1987 (see note 1) | Use Classes Order 1972 | Description | General Development Order 1988 (see note 2) |
|---|---|---|---|
| A1 Shops | Class I | Shops, retail warehouses, hairdressers, undertakers, travel and ticket agencies, post offices, dry cleaners, etc
Pet shops, cats-meat shops, tripe shops, sandwich bars Showrooms, domestic hire shops, funeral directors | No permitted change (see note 3) |
| A2 Financial and Professional Services | 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 (see note 3) |
| A3 Food and Drink | Restaurants, pubs, snack bars, cafés, wine bars, shops for sale of hot food | Permitted change to A1 or A2 | |
| Sui Generis (see note 4) | Shops selling and/or displaying motor vehicles
Launderettes, taxi or vehicle hire businesses, amusement centres, petrol filling stations | Permitted change to A1
No permitted change | |
| B1 Business (see note 5) | Class II Class III | Offices, not within A2
Research and development studios, laboratories, high tech Light industry | Permitted change to B8 where no more than 235sqm |
| B2 General Industrial (see note 6) | Class IV-IX | General industrial | Permitted change to B1 or B8 B8 limited to no more than 235 sqm |
| B8 Storage and distribution | Class X | Wholesale warehouse, distribution centres, repositories | Permitted change to B1 where no more than 235 sqm |
| Sui Generis (see note 4) | N/A | Any work registrable 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 Class XIV | Residential schools and colleges Hospitals and convalescent/nursing homes | No permitted change |
| C3 Dwelling Houses (see note 8) | N/A | Dwellings, small businesses at home, communal housing of elderly and handicapped | No permitted change |
| Sui Generis (see note 4) | N/A | Hostel | No permitted change |
| D1 Non-residential Institutions | Class XIII Class XV | Places of worship, church halls
Clinics, health centres, crèches, day nurseries, consulting rooms Museums, public halls, libraries, art galleries, exhibition halls Non-residential education and training centres | No permitted change |
| D2 Assembly and Leisure | Class XVII Class XVIII | Cinemas, music and concert halls
Dance, sports halls, swimming baths, skating rinks, gymnasiums Other indoor and outdoor sports and leisure uses, bingo halls, casinos | No permitted change |
| Sui Generis (see note 4) | Class XVII | Theatres | No permitted change |
NOTES
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 to the consent
The permitted development rights shown in the final column do not require planning permission where all criteria set out in the Order are met and no restrictive conditions apply
The General Development (Amendment) Order 1995 provides for the 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.
Sui Generis is a term which refers to a use on its own. Any planning use not falling within a specific class within the Classes Order falls within this category.
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".
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).
A C1 use is defines as a hotel or a boarding or guest house where, in each case, no significant element of care is provided.
Six or less residents unless living together as a family.
It should be noted that permitted changes of use identified above are ratchet changes, i.e. cannot be made in reverse.
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.
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 Order 1987 as amended, and the General Development Order 1988 as amended.
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