Guide to the Use Classes Order

(England)                                                                                            (Revised & effective as of 21 April 2005)

Class

Use

Development Permitted by the GPDO

Use of property for:

Permitted Changes

Note

Change from

1987 Use

Classes Order

A1

Shops

(a) retail sale of goods other than hot food

(b) post office

(c) sale of tickets / use as a travel agency

(d) sale of sandwiches and cold food for consumption off the premises

(e) hair dressing

(f) funeral directors

(g) display of goods for sale (h) hiring out of personal / domestic goods

(i) washing / cleaning of clothes or fabrics on the premises

(j) reception of goods to be cleaned / washed / repaired

where the sale is to visiting members of the public

(k) as an internet café where

the primary purpose is to enable the public to access the internet

No permitted change

(i) and (j) permit dry cleaners, but do not permit laundrettes

Addition of (k) internet cafes

A2

Financial

& Professional

Services

(a) Provision of financial services

(b) Provision of professional services

(c) Any other services (including a betting shop) deemed to be appropriate to a shopping area

Permitted change to A1

All uses within this class must provide services principally for  use by the general public

No change

A3

Restaurants

& Cafes

• Restaurant (where food and drink are consumed on the premises)

• Café (where food and drink are consumed on the premises)

Permitted change to A1 or A2

Class restricted

to restaurants

and cafes only

A4

Drinking

Establishments

• Public House

• Wine bar

• Other drinking establishment

Permitted change to A1, A2 or A3

New class added to the Order

A5

Hot Food

Takeaways

• the sale of hot food for consumption off the premises

Permitted change to A1, A2 or A3

New class added to the Order

B1

Business

(a) Offices (other than those permitted in class A2)

(b) research and development

(c) light industry - any industrial process being a use which can be carried out

within a residential area but without causing detriment to the amenity of that

area

Permitted change to B8

(where no more than 235m2)

Uses within this class can be carried out

in any residential area without having a

detrimental affect on the amenity of the

area (e.g. through creation of noise,

vibration, fumes, smell)

No change

B2

General

Industrial

• Carrying out of an industrial process, other than one falling in class B1

Permitted change to B1 or B8

(B8 must be no more than 235m2)

No change

B8

Storage

& Distribution

• Storage or distribution

Permitted change to B1

(where no more than 235m2)

No change

C1

Hotels

• Hotel/ boarding house / guest house where, in each case, no significant

element of care is provided

No permitted change

No change

C2

Residential

Institutions

• Provision of residential accommodation and care for people in need of care

(excluding those within class C3)

• Hospital or nursing home

• Residential school, college or training centre

No permitted change

No change

C3

Dwelling

Houses

A dwelling house by a single person or by people living together as a family or by not more than six residents living together as a single household (including a household where care is provided for residents)

No permitted change

The sub-division of residential

dwellings into two or more separate dwellings is a change of use. This use class clarifies the position for cases where unrelated people live in the same house e.g. students

No change

D1

Non

Residential

Institutions

Any use, not including a residential use, for: -

(a) provision of medical or health services, except the use of premises attached

to the residence of the consultant or practitioner

(b) a crèche, day centre or

day nursery

(c) provision of education

(d) the display of works of art (other than for sale or hire) (e) a museum

(f) a public library or public reading room

(g) a public hall or exhibition hall

(h) in connection with public worship or a religious institution

No permitted change

No change

D2

Assembly

& Leisure

(a) a cinema

(b) a concert hall

(c) a bingo hall or casino

(d) a dance hall

(e) swimming bath / skating rink / gymnasium / or other area for indoor or outdoor sports or recreations, not involving motorised vehicles or fire arms

No permitted change

No change

Sui

Generis

Includes: -

• Nightclubs

• Motor car showrooms

• Retail warehouse clubs

• Taxi or vehicle hire businesses

• Launderettes

• Amusement centres

• Petrol stations

• Hostels

• Theatres

No permitted change

Warehouse clubs are defined as

those offering products at

wholesale prices to members

PD Rights for nightclubs, motor car

Showrooms and retail warehouse

clubs have been removed