🏛️ Town and Country Planning: Use Classes Guide
The Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987 (as amended) categorises the use of land and buildings into defined groups known as Use Classes. These classifications help determine what activities are permitted within a property without requiring planning permission for change of use.
⚠️ This guide is for reference only. Final decisions on use class categorisation rest with the local planning authority, based on the specific circumstances of each case.
🛍️ Class A – Retail & Services
|
Use Class |
Description |
|
A1 – Shops |
Retail shops, hairdressers, travel agencies, post offices (excluding sorting offices), pet shops, sandwich bars, showrooms, dry cleaners, funeral directors, internet cafés |
|
A2 – Financial & Professional Services |
Banks, building societies, estate agents, employment agencies, betting offices (excluding medical services) |
|
A3 – Restaurants & Cafés |
Sale of food and drink for consumption on the premises – restaurants, cafés, snack bars |
|
A4 – Drinking Establishments |
Pubs, wine bars, and other drinking venues (excluding nightclubs) |
|
A5 – Hot Food Takeaways |
Sale of hot food for consumption off the premises |
🏢 Class B – Business & Industry
|
Use Class |
Description |
|
B1 – Business |
Offices (not A2), R&D facilities, light industry suitable for residential areas |
|
B2 – General Industrial |
Industrial processes not covered by B1 (excluding hazardous waste, incineration, or landfill) |
|
B8 – Storage & Distribution |
Warehousing and open-air storage facilities |
🏨 Class C – Residential
|
Use Class |
Description |
|
C1 – Hotels |
Hotels, guest houses, boarding houses (excluding hostels) |
|
C2 – Residential Institutions |
Care homes, hospitals, nursing homes, boarding schools, residential colleges |
|
C2A – Secure Residential Institutions |
Prisons, detention centres, secure hospitals, military barracks |
|
C3 – Dwelling Houses |
|
C3(a): Single households (families, domestic staff, carers, foster arrangements)
C3(b): Up to six people living together with care (e.g. supported housing)
C3(c): Up to six people living together as a household (e.g. lodgers, small religious communities) | | C4 – Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) | Shared dwellings with 3–6 unrelated individuals sharing amenities |
🏫 Class D – Institutions & Leisure
|
Use Class |
Description |
|
D1 – Non-Residential Institutions |
Clinics, health centres, nurseries, schools, museums, libraries, places of worship, law courts |
|
D2 – Assembly & Leisure |
Cinemas, concert halls, bingo halls, gyms, swimming pools, sports facilities (excluding motor sports and firearms use) |
🧩 Sui Generis – Unique Uses
Certain uses fall outside the standard classifications and are considered sui generis (of their own kind). Examples include:
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Theatres
-
HMOs (in some cases)
-
Hostels without care provision
-
Scrap yards
-
Petrol stations
-
Car showrooms
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Nightclubs
-
Launderettes
-
Taxi businesses
-
Amusement centres
-
Casinos
-
Retail warehouse clubs
đź“Ś Disclaimer
This is an introductory guide and not a definitive source of legal advice. For full details and the latest updates, refer to the official Planning Portal:
🔗 Planning Portal – Change of Use
This guidance applies to England. Planning policies in Wales may differ. If in doubt, consult your Local Planning Authority.