Use Classes Order

The following classes of use are set out in the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987.

 A1 Shops

The retail sale of goods to the public: Shops, post offices, travel agents & ticket agencies, hairdressers, funeral directors & undertakers, domestic hire shops, dry cleaners, internet cafes, sandwich bars (where sandwiches or other cold food are to be consumed off the premises).

A2 Financial and Professional Services

Finacial Services: Banks, building societies & bureaux de change. Professional Services (other than health or medical services): Estate agents & employment agencies.  Other services where it is appropriate to provide in a shopping area:  Betting shops. (where the services are provided principally to visiting members of the public). 

A3 Food and drink

Restaurants & cafes (places where the primary purpose is the sale and consumption of food and light refreshment on the premises).

A4 Drinking Establishments

Public House, Wine Bar or other Drinking Establishments (premises where the primary purpose is the sale and consumption of food and light refreshment on the premises).  This excludes internet cafes which are now A1.

A5 Hot Food Takeaway

Take-aways. (premises where the primary purpose is the sale of hot food to take-away).

B1 Business

a) Offices, other than a use within Class A2 (Financial Services).

b) Research and development pf products and processes.

c) Light industry.

B2 General industrial

General Industry: Use for the carrying out of an industrial process other than one falling in Class B1.

B8 Storage and distribution

Use for storage or distribution centre.

C1 Hotels

Use as a hotel, boarding or guesthouses where no significant element of care is provided.

C2 Residential institutions

Hospital, nursing home or residential school, college or training centre where they provide residential accommodation and care to people in need of care (other than those within Class C3 dwelling houses).

C3 Dwelling houses

Use as a dwelling house (whether or not as a sole or a main residence),

a) by a single person or people living together as a family, or

b) by not more than six residents living together as a single household (including a household where care is provided for residents).

D1 Non-residential institutions

Clinics & health centres, creshes, day nurseries & day centres (not attached to the Consultant's or Doctor's house). Museums, public libraries, art galleries & exhibition halls. Non-residential education & training centres. Places of worship, religious instruction & church halls.

D2 Assembly and leisure

Cinema, concert hall, bingo hall, dance hall, swimming baths, skating rinks, gymnasiums or area for indoor or outdoor sports or recreations, not involving motor vehicles or firearms.

Sui-Generis

A use of its own, for which any change of use will require planning permission.  Includes theatres, nightclubs, retail warehouse clubs, amusement arcades, launderettes, petrol filling stations and motor car showrooms.

Casino's

Following declassification, planning permission is needed for any premises (including D2 premises) to undergo a material change of use to a casino.

Changes of use not requiring a planning application

These changes of use are permitted by the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995.