Class A – casino, betting office, pay day loan shop or hot food takeaway to commercial, business and service

What does the legislation say?

A. Development consisting of a change of use of a building from a use falling within one of the following provisions of the Use Classes Order—

(a)article 3(6)(m) (casino);
(b)article 3(6)(n) (betting office);
(c)article 3(6)(o) (pay day loan shop); or
(d)article 3(6)(r) (hot food takeaway),
to a use falling within Class E (commercial, business and service) of Schedule 2 to that Order.

Our Views on Class A

Class A development is now only relevant for the change of use of Hot Food Takeaways and other listed uses (now sui-generis) to any use within the Commercial Business and Service uses in Class E There are no restrictions on this Permitted Development Allowance and it follows the long-standing principle that moving from certain uses to other certain uses is not development that warrants a full planning permission.

Class A is available to properties that are within the greenbelt, listed, within Conservation Areas and within Town Centre Locations (subject to an application for Listed Building Consent if the works to convert effect the Listed Building)

This reflects the amendments to Class A from 1st August 2021 onwards.

How to Use Class A

Class A can be used at any time and potentially provides a doorway into the more flexible Use Class E ‘Retail, Business and Commercial’ Use Class. Class A development is a prior approval matter requiring notification of its use in writing.

*Correct at time of writing.