Use Classes Order 2020: can you change a property's use?
The 2020 Use Classes Order changed how every building in England is categorised. Here is what it means for changing your property's use.
What the Use Classes Order does
The Use Classes Order categorises every building in England by its permitted use. The system exists so local authorities can control how land is used. The 2020 reform was the biggest shake-up in decades, merging several old categories into broader groups.
The main use classes after the 2020 reform
Class E -- Commercial, Business and Service
The big one. Class E merged the old A1 (shops), A2 (financial services), A3 (restaurants/cafes), and B1 (offices/light industrial) into a single class. A building in Class E can switch between shop, restaurant, office, gym, medical clinic, or creche without planning permission.
Class F.1 -- Learning and Non-Residential Institutions
Covers schools, museums, libraries, art galleries, public halls, and places of worship.
Class F.2 -- Local Community
Small shops under 280 sqm (where no other exists within 1,000m), community halls, outdoor sports areas, swimming pools.
Class C -- Residential
C1: Hotels. C2: Residential institutions (care homes, hospitals). C3: Dwelling houses. C4: Houses in Multiple Occupation (3-6 unrelated tenants).
Sui Generis
Uses outside any class: pubs, takeaways, cinemas, theatres, petrol stations, large HMOs (7+ people). Any change from or to sui generis requires planning permission -- no PD escape route.
Key permitted changes
Within Class E: Completely free. Move from office to cafe to gym without any application.
Class E to C3 (residential): Permitted under GPDO Class MA with prior approval. Conditions: 2 years in Class E use, 3 months vacancy, 1,500 sqm floor limit. Council assesses transport, contamination, flooding, noise, natural light, fire safety only.
C3 to C4 (small HMO): Permitted development under GPDO Class L. But many councils have Article 4 Directions removing this right.
The manual process
Establishing the current use class, cross-referencing the GPDO for permitted changes, checking for local Article 4 Directions, verifying size limits and vacancy requirements. It requires navigating multiple legislation documents and checking the local plan.
The planning designations and application history that decide whether a change of use will fly are in MarketCode's planning-check skill, for any address.