Your guide to planning click to enter Use Classes Order and changes of use
For commercial property Use Classes click links below A B C D Sui Generis Contact
A1 Shops Retail sale or display of goods for sale other than hot food. To A1 plus a single flat above A2 Financial and Professional Services Financial services such as banks, building societies and estate agents. To A1 To A1 plus a single flat above To A2 plus a single flat above more
A3 Restaurants and Cafés For the sale of food and drink for consumption on the premises - restaurants, snack bars and cafés. To A1 or A2 A4 Drinking Establishments Public houses, wine bars or other drinking establishments (but not night clubs). To A1 or A2 or A3 more
A5 Hot Food Takeaways For the sale of hot food for consumption off the premises. To A1 or A2 or A3
B1 Business B1a Offices (other than those that fall within A2) B1b Research and Development B1c Light Industry To B8 (limited to change of use relating to not more than 500 sq m of floor space) From B1a to C3* (from 30 May 2013 to 30 May 2016) *Exemptions in key employment areas apply more
B2 General Industry Use for industrial process other than one falling within class B1. To B1 To B8 (limited to change of use relating to not more than 500 sq m of floor space) B8 Storage and Distribution Storage, including open air storage To B1 (limited to change of use relating to not more than 500 sq m of floor space)
C1 Hotels Hotels, boarding and guest houses where no significant element of care is provided (excludes hostels). more
C2 Residential Institutions Residential care homes, hospitals, nursing homes, boarding schools, residential colleges and training centres. C2a Secure Residential Institutions Use for a provision of secure residential accommodation, such as use as a prison, young offenders institution, or military barracks. more
C3 Dwellinghouses (This Class is in three parts) C3a Use as a dwellinghouse C3b Up to six people living together as a single household and receiving care e.g. supported housing schemes such as those for people with mental health problems. more
C3c Up to six people living together as a single household. This allows for groups that do not fall within the C4 HMO definition, e.g. a homeowner who is living with a lodger. C4 Houses in Multiple Occupation Small shared dwelling houses occupied by between three and six unrelated individuals, as their only or main residence, who share basic amenities such as a kitchen or bathroom. To C3
D1 Non-residential Institutions Clinics, health centres, crèches, day nurseries, day centres, schools, art galleries (other than for sale or hire), museums, libraries, halls, places of worship, church halls, law court. Non-residential education and training centres. D2 Assembly and Leisure Cinemas, music and concert halls, bingo and dance halls (but not night clubs), swimming baths, skating rinks, gymnasiums or area for indoor or outdoor sports and recreation (except for motor sports, or where firearms are used).
Sui Generis Uses that do not fall within any particular Use Class, including theatres, scrap yards, petrol filling stations and motor showrooms retail warehouses, clubs, nightclubs, and casinos. Casinos to D2 Temporary changes of use Uses with A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, and B1a, D1 and D2 will be able to change to A1, A2, A3, A4, and B1 uses for a single period of up to 2 years (from 30 May 2013). Agricultural buildings Agricultural buildings of up to 500 sq m given rights to change to a range of commercial uses (from 30 May 2013).
Please contact your local planning contact, visit our website, or call: Mark Dodds National Head of Planning & Development Consultancy +44 (0)20 7198 2242 Lambert Smith Hampton United Kingdom House 180 Oxford Street London W1D 1NN