4D Planning Consultants
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What Changes Of Use do not require planning permission?
In many cases involving similar types of use, a change of use of a building or land does not require planning permission. Planning permission is not required when both the present and proposed uses fall within the same ‘class’, or if the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order says that a change of class is permitted to another specified class (see table below).
For example, a supermarket could be changed to a clothing shop without permission as these uses fall within the same ‘class’, and a restaurant could be changed to a retail shop or an estate agency as the Use Class Order allows this type of change to occur without requiring planning permission.
Most external building work associated with a change of use is likely to require planning permission.
| From | To |
| A2 (professional and financial services) when premises have a display window at ground level | A1, C3, A3, B1, D2 (for further information see here) |
| A3 (restaurants and cafes) | A1, A2, B1 (for further information see here) |
| A4 (drinking establishments) | A4-A3 |
| A5 (hot food takeaways) | A1 or A2 or A3 or B1 (for further information see here) |
| B1 (business) (permission limited to change of use relating to not more than 235 square metres of floor space) | B8, A1, A2, A3, C3 (for further information see here) |
| B2 (general industrial) | B1, B8 (for further information see here) |
| B2 (general industrial) (permission limited to change of use relating to not more than 235 square metres of floor space)) | B1, B8 (for further information see here) |
| B8 (storage and distribution) (permission limited to change of use relating to not more than 235 square metres of floor space) | B1, C3 (for further information see here) |
| C3 (dwellinghouses) | C4 (for further information see here) |
| C4 (houses in multiple occupation) | C3 (dwellinghouses) |
| Casinos (sui generis) | For further information see here |
For further information on the different use classes click here.
For further information on Permitted Development/ Lawful Development Change of Uses click here.
