The Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987 is a Statutory Instrument which revoked and replaced the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1972 as amended by the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) (Amendment) Order 1983. The 1987 order has since been amended, in 1991, 1992, 2005 (England only), 2006 (England only) and 2010 (England only). It was originally made under the authority of the Town and Country Planning Act 1971, but is now authorized under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.
The Act deems any change of use to be development requiring planning permission. The Order defines exceptions.
| Use Classes Order Including 2005-6 Amendments | Use Classes Order 1972 | Description | General Permitted Development (Amendment) Order 2005 |
|---|---|---|---|
| A1 Shops |
Class I | Shops, retail warehouses, sandwich bars, hairdressers, undertakers, travel and ticket agencies, post offices, dry cleaners, showrooms, domestic hire shops, funeral directors, internet cafés[1] etc. | |
| 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. |
| A3 Restaurants and cafés |
Restaurants, snack bars, cafés | Permitted change to A1 or A2 | |
| A4[2] Drinking Establishments |
Public house, wine-bar or other drinking establishment[3] | Permitted change to A1, A2 or A3 | |
| A5[4] Hot Food Takeaways |
The sale of hot food for consumption off the premises | Permitted change to A1, A2 or A3 | |
| Sui Generis | Shops selling and/or displaying motor vehicles, retail warehouse clubs, launderettes, taxi or vehicle hire businesses, amusement centres, petrol filling stations, | ||
| B1 Business |
Class II (a) |
Offices, not within A2 | Permitted change to B8 where no more than 235 m2 |
| (b) | Research and development, studios, laboratories, high technology | Permitted change to B8 where no more than 235 m2 | |
| Class III (c) |
Light Industry Permitted change to B8 where no more than 235 m2 | Permitted change to B8 where no more than 235 m2 | |
| B2 General Industry |
Class IV-IX | General Industry | Permitted change to B1 or B8. B8 limited to no more than 235 m2 |
| B3 Special Industrial Group A - repealed in 1992 |
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| B4 Special Ind. Group B |
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| B5 Special Ind. Group C |
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| B6 Special Ind. Group D |
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| B7 Special Ind. Group E |
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| B8[5] Storage or Distribution |
Class X | Wholesale warehouses, distribution centres, repositories | Permitted change to B1 where no more than 235 m2 |
| Sui Generis | Any works registerable under the Alkali, etc. Works Regulation Act 1906 | ||
| C1 Hotels |
Class XI | Hotels, boarding and guest houses | |
| C2 Residential Institutions |
Class XII | Residential schools and colleges | |
| Class XIV | Hospitals and convalescent/nursing homes, communal housing of elderly and handicapped people. | ||
| C3 Dwelling Houses |
Dwellings, small businesses at home. (Does not include households consisting of more than six residents not in a family or households where care is provided for the residents). | ||
| Sui Generis | Hostel | ||
| D1 Non-residential Institutions |
Class XIII | Places of worship, Church Halls | |
| Class XV | Clinics, health centres, crèches, day nurseries, consulting rooms | ||
| Class XVI | Museums, public halls, libraries, art galleries, exhibition halls | ||
| Non - residential education and training centres | |||
| D2 Assembly and Leisure |
Class XVII | Cinemas, music and concert halls | |
| Class XVIII | Dance, Sports halls, Swimming baths, skating rinks, gymnasiums | ||
| Other indoor and outdoor sports and leisure uses, bingo halls, | |||
| Sui Generis | Class XVII | Theatres, night-clubs, casinos. |