Schedule of The UCO 1987 (the "Use Classes")
The Schedule of the UCO 1987 specifies the Use Classes for which planning permission is not required for a building or other land to change from one use within that class to another use within that same class.
The following table shows the Use Classes in relation to England in their "revised" form, as summarised on the government Planning Portal website. References have been added to indicate those Use Classes that are different in relation to Wales. This table also shows the relevant permitted changes of use in relation to England from the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995.
| Title of Use Class: | Description of Use Class: | Permitted changes of use: |
|---|---|---|
| A1 Shops |
Shops, retail warehouses, hairdressers, undertakers, travel and ticket agencies, post offices (but not sorting offices), pet shops, sandwich bars, showrooms, domestic hire shops, dry cleaners, funeral directors and internet cafes. | Permitted change to A1 and up to 2 flats. |
| A2 Financial and professional services |
Financial services such as banks and building societies, professional services (other than health and medical services) including estate and employment agencies and betting offices. | Permitted change to A1 (if display window). Permitted change to A1 and up to 2 flats (if display window). Permitted change to A2 and up to 2 flats. |
| A3 Restaurants and cafes |
For the sale of food and drink for consumption on the premises - restaurants, snack bars and cafes. | Permitted change to A1. Permitted change to A2. |
| A4 Drinking establishments |
Public houses, wine bars or other drinking establishments (but not night clubs). | Permitted change to A1. Permitted change to A2. Permitted change to A3. |
| A5 Hot food takeaways |
For the sale of hot food for consumption off the premises. | Permitted change to A1. Permitted change to A2. Permitted change to A3. |
| B1 Business |
Offices (other than those that fall within A2), research and development of products and processes, light industry appropriate in a residential area. | Permitted change to B8 (if floor space ≤500m2). Permitted change to a state-funded school. Permitted change from B1(a) to C3. |
| B2 General industrial |
Use for industrial process other than one falling within class B1 (excluding incineration purposes, chemical treatment or landfill or hazardous waste). | Permitted change to B1. Permitted change to B8 (if floor space ≤500m2). |
| B8 Storage or distribution |
This class includes open air storage. | Permitted change to B1 (if floor space ≤500m2). |
| C1 Hotels |
Hotels, boarding and guest houses where no significant element of care is provided (excludes hostels). | Permitted change to a state-funded school. |
| C2 Residential institutions |
Residential care homes, hospitals, nursing homes, boarding schools, residential colleges and training centres. | Permitted change to a state-funded school. |
| C2A Secure Residential Institution |
Use for a provision of secure residential accommodation, including use as a prison, young offenders institution, detention centre, secure training centre, custody centre, short term holding centre, secure hospital, secure local authority accommodation or use as a military barracks. | Permitted change to a state-funded school. |
| C3 Dwellinghouses |
C3(a) covers use by a single person or a family (a couple whether married or not, a person related to one another with members of the family of one of the couple to be treated as members of the family of the other), an employer and certain domestic employees (such as an au pair, nanny, nurse, governess, servant, chauffeur, gardener, secretary and personal assistant), a carer and the person receiving the care and a foster parent and foster child. C3(b) covers up to six people living together as a single household and receiving care e.g. supported housing schemes such as those for people with learning disabilities or mental health problems. C3(c) allows for groups of people (up to six) living together as a single household. This allows for those groupings that do not fall within the C4 HMO definition, but which fell within the previous C3 use class, to be provided for i.e. a small religious community may fall into this section as could a homeowner who is living with a lodger. |
Permitted change to C4. |
| C4 Houses in multiple occupation |
Small shared 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. | Permitted change 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. | Permitted change from a state-funded school to the previous lawful use. |
| 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 recreations (except for motor sports, or where firearms are used). | Permitted change to a state-funded school. |
| Sui generis | Certain uses do not fall within any use class and are considered 'sui generis'. Such uses include: theatres, houses in multiple occupation, hostels providing no significant element of care, scrap yards. Petrol filling stations and shops selling and/or displaying motor vehicles. Retail warehouse clubs, nightclubs, launderettes, taxi businesses, amusement centres and casinos. | Permitted change from casino to D2. Permitted change from an agricultural use to a "flexible" use. |
Read more about this topic: Town And Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987