Within the very large field of property, there are several categories and sub-categories of building. The reason for this is that council planning departments use these classes when planning residential, commercial and retail developments in an urban or rural environment. It is far easier to refer to the use classes as they are, rather than a description such as ‘Industrial’ or ‘retail’ as ambiguity and ‘grey areas’ are common.
© Copyright Mike Kirby and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence
The classes are issued by The Secretary of State as he/she is ultimately responsible for all UK planning matters (a method of appeal against planning decisions is to address the Secretary of State). In most cases, converting a property so that it moves from one use class to another, needs the grant of planning permission before work is allowed to go ahead. There are some exceptions however, such as a flat can be added to a retail property provided it is used in association with the retail property.
The table of Use Classes is as follows:
| Use Class | Use Description | Is Change Permitted? |
| A1
Shops
|
Sale of goods and cold food, retail warehouses, hairdressers, travel and ticket agencies, post offices, domestic hire shops, funeral directors, dry cleaners, internet cafes | No change of use without permission, except to A1 plus single flat
|
| A2
Financial and professional services
|
Professional (excluding health and medical services) and financial services (banks and building societies); other services appropriate in a shopping area where the services are provided principally to visiting members of the public | Change to A1 permitted only if there is a ground floor display window
|
| A3
Restaurants and cafes |
Sale of food and drink for consumption on premises, e.g. in restaurants, cafes | Change to A1 or A2 permitted |
|
A4 Drinking establishments |
Public house, wine bar or other drinking establishment | Change to A1 or A2 or A3 permitted |
| A5
Hot food takeaways
|
Sale of hot food for consumption off the premises | Change to A1 or A2 or A3 permitted
|
| Sui Generis
|
Launderettes, taxi businesses, car hire businesses, filling stations, scrapyards, shops selling or displaying motor vehicles for sale, retail warehouse clubs | No change of use permitted
|
|
B1 Business
|
a Offices other than financial and professional services providing for the visiting members of the public
b Research and development c Other industrial processes appropriate in a residential area |
Change to B8 (only up to 235 m2 of floor space) permitted
|
| B2
General industrial
|
General industry, not within B1 | Change to B1 or B8 (only up to 235 m2 of floor space)
|
| B8
Storage or distribution |
Storage or distribution centres | Change to B1 (only up to 235 m2 of floor space) permitted |
| Sui Generis
|
Work registerable under Alkali etc, Works Regulation Act | No change of use permitted
|
| C1
Hotels
|
Hotels, boarding and guest houses, provided that care is not provided | No change of use permitted
|
| C2
Residential institutions
|
Residential accommodation for provision of care (e.g. old age homes); residential schools and colleges and training centres; hospitals and nursing homes | No change of use permitted
|
| C2A
Secure residential accommodation
|
Prison; young offenders institutions; detention centres; secure training centres; custody centres; short-term holding centres; secure hospitals; secure local authority accommodation; military barracks | No change of use permitted
|
| C3
Dwellinghouses
|
Dwellinghouses for individuals, families and up to six individuals living as a single household | Subdivision of dwellinghouses into two or more dwellinghouses not permitted |
| C4
Houses in multiple occupation |
Use of a dwellinghouse by not more than six residents as a house in multiple occupation | Change to C3 permitted
|
| Sui Generis | Hostels | No change of use permitted |
| D1
Non-residential institutions
|
Clinics, health centres, crèches, day nurseries, day centres, consulting rooms (not attached to doctor’s house); museums, libraries, art galleries, public and exhibition halls; non-residential schools, colleges and other educational centres; public worship or religious instruction; law courts | No change of use permitted
|
| D2
Assembly and leisure
|
Cinemas, dance and concert halls; swimming pools, skating rinks, gymnasiums; other indoor and outdoor sports and leisure uses, bingo halls | No change of use permitted
|
| Sui Generis
|
Theatres, amusement arcades and centres, fun fairs, nightclubs, casinos (as from 6 April 2006) | No change of use permitted
|