Planning Rules
Use Classes Explained: How They Affect Planning Permission
The use classes system determines when a change of use needs planning permission. Here’s a complete guide to Class E, residential classes, and what counts as sui generis.
⏱ 7 min read📅 Updated October 2026🏠 England only
Quick Answer
Use classes determine whether a change of use needs planning permission
The Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987 (as amended) groups land and building uses into ‘use classes’. A change of use within the same use class is not development and doesn’t require planning permission. A change of use between use classes is development that requires either planning permission or permitted development rights. The 2020 Use Classes Order reforms merged many old classes into a new Class E (commercial) and created new F.1 (learning and non-residential institutions) and F.2 (local community) classes. Some uses remain sui generis — outside any class — and always require planning permission for any change.
The Main Use Classes
| Condition |
Detail |
| Class E (Commercial) |
Shops, offices, cafes, restaurants, gyms, health centres, research, light industrial — merged in 2020 from A1/A2/A3/B1/D1 classes |
| Class C1 (Hotels) |
Hotels, boarding houses, guest houses |
| Class C2 (Residential institutions) |
Care homes, hospitals, boarding schools |
| Class C3 (Dwellinghouses) |
Houses and flats for people living as a single household or small group |
| Class C4 (HMOs) |
Houses in multiple occupation for 3–6 unrelated people |
| Class B2 (General industrial) |
Industrial processes other than light industrial |
| Class B8 (Storage) |
Warehouses, distribution centres |
| Class F.1 (Learning) |
Schools, non-residential colleges, libraries, art galleries, museums |
| Class F.2 (Local community) |
Small local shops under 280m², community halls, outdoor sport |
| Sui Generis |
Uses outside any class: theatres, nightclubs, launderettes, petrol stations, takeaways, large retail, casinos, betting shops, pay-day loan shops |
Class E: The Merged Commercial Class
The most significant change in the 2020 Use Classes Order was the creation of Class E — a single commercial use class combining what were previously separate A1 (retail), A2 (financial), A3 (restaurants), B1a (offices), B1b (research), B1c (light industrial), and some D1 uses. The effect is that any building in Class E can freely change between all Class E uses without planning permission — a shop can become an office, or an office can become a gym, without a planning application.
This flexibility was intended to help struggling high streets adapt to changing demand. In practice, it means:
- Vacant retail units can be converted to offices, cafes, or health uses without planning permission
- Light industrial buildings can become offices without planning permission
- Offices can become gyms or restaurants without planning permission
⚠️ Takeaways (Class A5 under the old system) are now sui generis — they are not in Class E. A change from a restaurant (Class E(b)) to a takeaway requires planning permission. This is a common mistake.
Use Classes and Permitted Development
Permitted development rights often work by reference to use classes. For example:
- Class MA permits a change from Class E to Class C3 (residential)
- Class Q permits a change from agricultural use to Class C3
- Class R permits a change from agricultural use to Class E or B8 or C1
- Within Class E, changes are not development at all — no PD right is needed
When assessing whether a proposed change of use requires planning permission, the questions are: (1) are both uses in the same use class? (2) if not, is there a PD right permitting the change? (3) if not, a planning application is required.
Sui Generis Uses
Some uses are ‘sui generis’ — they are not in any use class. Any change to or from a sui generis use requires planning permission. Common sui generis uses:
- Theatres and concert halls
- Amusement arcades and casinos
- Takeaways and hot food establishments (previously A5)
- Petrol filling stations
- Large retail warehouses exceeding 280m² selling goods not requiring a large retail space
- HMOs for more than 6 people (Class C4 only covers 3–6 occupants)
- Nightclubs and music venues
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a shop change to an office without planning permission?
Yes — since the 2020 Use Classes Order, both shops and offices are in Class E. A change from retail (E(a)) to office (E(g)(i)) is a change within Class E and is not development — no planning permission or permitted development right is needed. This free movement within Class E is one of the key flexibilities introduced by the 2020 reforms.
What use class is a restaurant?
Restaurants are Class E(b) under the 2020 Use Classes Order. Cafes are also Class E(b). Note that takeaways and hot food shops are sui generis (not in any use class) — changing from a restaurant to a takeaway requires planning permission. This is a frequent source of confusion since restaurants and takeaways look similar but are in different categories.
What is the difference between C3 and C4 use?
Class C3 (dwellinghouse) covers houses and flats used as a single household or a small group living together (including up to 6 people who don’t form a family). Class C4 (HMO) covers houses in multiple occupation for 3–6 unrelated people who share facilities but don’t form a single household. In areas with an HMO Article 4 Direction, changing from C3 to C4 requires planning permission. Without an Article 4, C3 to C4 is permitted development.
Do I need planning permission to change from offices to a gym?
No — both offices (Class E(g)(i)) and gyms (Class E(d)) are within Class E. Changing between any uses within Class E is not development and requires no planning permission or PD rights. You can convert an office to a gym, a shop to a café, or a health centre to a light industrial unit all without planning permission, as long as both uses remain within the Class E use class.
More on Permitted Development Rights
Extensions, loft conversions, outbuildings, solar panels — our complete guide covers everything you can build without planning permission.
Read the Complete PD Guide →
