Offices In Surrey

Use Classes Order (England)

This table is intended as a guide to The Town & Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987 as amended by The Town & Country Planning (Use Classes) (Amendment) (England) Order 2005. It is not intended to be comprehensive.

TCPA Use Classes
Order 2005		 Use / Description of Development Permitted Change
A1
Shops
  • Retail sale of goods to the public - Shops, Post Offices, Travel Agencies & Ticket Agencies, Funeral Director & Undertakers, Hairdressers, Domestic Hire Shops, Dry Cleaners.
  • Sandwich Bars (sandwiches or other cold food purchased and consumed off the premises) & Internet Cafes.
 No permitted change
A2
Financial &
Professional
Services
  • Financial Services - Banks, Building Societies and Bureau de Change.
  • Professional Services (not Health or Medical Services) - Estate Agencies & Employment Agencies.
  • Other Services - Betting Shops.

(Principally where services are provided to visiting members of the public)

 A1
(where there is a ground floor display window)
A3
Restuarants &
Cafes
  • Restaurants and Cafes - Use for the sale of food for consumption on the premises.

(Other than Internet Cafes - see A1)

 A1 or A2
A4
Drinking
Establishments
  • Use as a Public House, Wine Bar or other Drinking Establishment (but not night clubs).
 A1, A2 or A3
A5
Hot Food
Takeaway
  • Use for the sale of hot food for consumption off the premises.
 A1, A2 or A3
B1
Business
  • Offices other than in use with Class A2
  • Research and Development - Laboratories and Studios
  • Light Industry appropriate in a residential area
 B8
(where no more than 500m2) From B1a Offices to C3 (from 30 May 2013 to 30 May 2016 but exemptions in key employment areas apply.
B2
General
Industrial
  • General Industry (unless in B1)

(Former Use Classes B3-B7 are now encompassed by B2)

 B1 or B8
(B8 limted to 235m2)
B8
Storage or
Distribution
  • Storage or Distribution Centres - Wholesale Warehouses, Distribution Centres & Repositories.  Includes open air storage.

 

 B1
(where no more than 500m2)
C1
Hotels

• Hotels, Guest Houses & Boarding Houses.

(Only where no significant element of care is provided)

No permitted change
C2
Residential
Institutions
  • Hospitals, Nursing Homes, Residential Care Homes, Residential Education & Training Centres, Boarding Schools.

C2a Use for a provision of secure residential accommodation, such as use as a prison, young offenders institution or military barracks.

 No permitted change
C3
Dwelling Houses

C3a Use as a dwellinghouse.
C3b Up to six people living together as a single household and receiving care e.g. supported housing scheme such as those for people with mental health problems or students or young people sharing a dwelling or small group homes for disabled or handicapped people living in the community.
C3c Up to six people living together as a single household. This allows for groups that do not fall within the C4 HMO definition e.g. a homeowner who is living with a lodger.

 No permitted change
C4
Hotels
  • Small shared dwelling houses occupied by between three and six unrelated individuals, as their only main residence, who share basic amenities such as a kitchen or bathroom.
C3
D1
Non-Residential Institutions
  • Medical & Health Services - Clinic & Health Centres, Crèches, Day Nursery, Day Centres & Consulting Rooms (not attached to the Consultant's or Doctor's house).
  • Museums, Public Libraries, Art Galleries (other than for sale or hire), Exhibition Halls.
  • Non-Residential Education & Training Centres.
  • Places of Worship, Religious Instruction & Church Halls.
 No permitted change

D2
Assembly &
Leisure

  • Cinemas, Dance and Concert Halls, Bingo Halls (but not night clubs)
  • Sports Halls, Swimming Baths, Skating Rinks, Gymnasiums.
  • Other Indoor & Outdoor Sports & Leisure Uses not involving motorised vehicles or firearms.
 No permitted change
Sui Generis
(* see note below)

For example:

  • Retail Warehouses, Clubs, Casinos, Amusement Arcades, Laundrettes, Petrol Filling Stations, Taxi Businesses, Car/Vehicle Hire Businesses & the selling and displaying of Motor Vehicles, Clubs, Nightclubs, Theatres, Hostels, Builders’ Yards, Scrap Yards, Garden Centres.
 Casinos to D2
Agricultural Buildings

Agricultural buildings of up to 500 sq m given rights to change to a range of commercial uses (from 30 May 2013).

  

Note:
* The most common 'Uses' are contained within the Use Classes Order, however, some uses cannot be specifically 'categorised' within one of the four main Use Classes (A-D). These uses are classified as 'sui generis' and some examples are given in the table, but this is not an exhaustive list. Planning permission is normally required for any change of use from or to a 'sui generis'.