Planning

New Government user class guidelines came into effect on 1st September 2020. The new classes comprise Class E (commercial, business and service uses), Class F.1 (learning and non-residential institutions), Class F.2 (local community uses) and Sui Generis (in a use class of its own).

 

User Class	Previous User Class	New User Class from 1st September 2020
Shops (retail, sandwich bars, hairdressers, pet shops, showrooms, dry cleaners, undertakers, travel agencies)	A1	E
Shops (not exceeding 280 sq m) selling essential goods including food and at least 1km from another similar shop	A1	F.2
Financial and professional services (banks, estate/employment agencies)	A2	E
Cafés or restaurants	A3	E
Pubs or drinking establishments	A4	Sui Generis
Takeaways	A5	Sui Generis
Office other than within class A2	B1a	E
General industrial	B2	B2
Storage or distribution	B8	B8
Hotels, boarding & guest houses	C1	C1
Residential institutions (hospitals, nursing/care homes)	C2	C2
Clinics, health centres, creches, day nurseries, day centres	D1	E
Schools, non-residential education, training centres, places of worship, museums, libraries, public/exhibition halls, art galleries	D1	F.1
Cinema, concert halls, bingo halls, dance halls, launderettes, sale of motor vehicles, taxi business, betting shops	D2	Sui Generis
Gymnasiums, yoga/pilates studios, indoor recreations not involving motorised vehicles	D2	E
Local community hall or meeting place	D2	F.2
Indoor or outdoor swimming baths, skating rinks & outdoor sports	D2	F.2