The Complete Guide to Change of Use in England and Wales

What is change of use?

When you use a building or piece of land for a different purpose, that is called a change of use. In England and Wales, planning law controls how properties can be used. The system exists because different uses affect neighbours, infrastructure, and communities in different ways.

The rules are set out in the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987, amended most significantly in 2020.

The Use Classes system

Properties are grouped into use classes. If you stay within the same class, or move to a permitted class, you generally do not need planning permission.

Class E — Commercial, Business and Service

This is the broadest class. It covers shops, restaurants and cafés (not takeaways), financial and professional services, gyms, offices, and light industrial uses.

The key practical point: if your business falls within Class E, you can generally switch between any of these uses without planning permission. A shop can become an office. A café can become a gym. No permission needed.

Class F.1 — Local Community: Schools, libraries, art galleries, museums, public halls, places of worship.

Class F.2 — Local Amenity: Small local shops under 280 sq m selling essential goods, outdoor sport and recreation.

Sui Generis — In a class of their own: Hot food takeaways, pubs and wine bars, casinos, petrol stations, nightclubs, launderettes. Each change requires planning permission.

When you DO need planning permission

• Moving from Class E to a sui generis use (e.g. café to takeaway, shop to pub)
• Moving between most other classes
• Moving from any class to residential (Class C3) — almost always requires permission, though permitted development rights exist for some office-to-residential conversions

Permitted development rights

Even when you change between classes, permitted development (PD) rights sometimes allow changes without a full application. PD rights can be removed by your local authority through an Article 4 Direction — common in town centres and conservation areas.

How to find out what class your property is in

1. Check previous planning permissions on your local planning authority's planning portal
2. Ask your landlord
3. Apply for a Certificate of Lawful Use — a formal document confirming the lawful use

What happens if you change use without permission?

The council can issue an enforcement notice requiring you to cease the use and restore the property. Failure to comply is a criminal offence.

Applying for planning permission

Apply to your local planning authority via planningportal.co.uk. The fee is currently £578 for most change of use applications in England. Most LPAs aim to decide within 8 weeks.

Pre-application advice

Most councils offer a pre-application advice service (typically £100–£500 for small commercial applications). This lets you discuss your proposal before submitting formally — worth using.

What to do next

1. Identify your current use class
2. Identify the proposed use class
3. Check whether the change is permitted development or requires an application
4. Check whether any Article 4 Directions affect your area
5. Contact your local planning authority or use ClearPath for a specific answer

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This guide covers England and Wales only. ClearPath provides general guidance — for advice specific to your property, consult a planning consultant or solicitor.