From 1 September 2020, Use Of Class, A1/2/3 & B1 are now treated as Class E.
Under the old class A, Premises in shop use (Class A1) are able to change to café use (Class A3) providing that the premises is less than 150m2 and subject to the Prior Approval from the Local Planning Authority.
Permission will be required for commercial extractor flues if cooking is intended to be carried out on the premises.
The placing of tables and chairs on the highway is very likely to require a licence from the highway authority to allow them to assess factors such as pedestrian movements, sight lines and road safety.
Class A is revoked from 1 September 2020.
- Class A 1/2/3 are effectively replaced with the new Class E(a,b,c)
- A4/5 uses are not covered by the new Class E and become defined as ‘Sui Generis’
- A1 Shops – Shops, retail warehouses, hairdressers, undertakers, travel and ticket agencies, post offices, pet shops, sandwich bars, showrooms, domestic hire shops, dry cleaners, funeral directors and internet cafes
- A2 Financial and professional services – Financial services such as banks and building societies, professional services (other than health and medical services) and including estate and employment agencies. It does not include betting offices or pay day loan shops – these are now classed as “sui generis” uses (see below)
- A3 Restaurants and cafés – For the sale of food and drink for consumption on the premises – restaurants, snack bars and cafes
- A4 Drinking establishments – Public houses, wine bars or other drinking establishments (but not night clubs) including drinking establishments with expanded food provision
- A5 Hot food takeaways – For the sale of hot food for consumption off the premises.
Class E – Commercial, Business and Service
Class E is introduced from 1 September 2020.
In 11 parts, Class E more broadly covers uses previously defined in the revoked Classes A1/2/3, B1, D1(a-b) and ‘indoor sport’ from D2(e):
- E(a) Display or retail sale of goods, other than hot food
- E(b) Sale of food and drink for consumption (mostly) on the premises
- E(c) Provision of:
- E(c)(i) Financial services,
- E(c)(ii) Professional services (other than health or medical services), or
- E(c)(iii) Other appropriate services in a commercial, business or service locality
- E(d) Indoor sport, recreation or fitness (not involving motorised vehicles or firearms)
- E(e) Provision of medical or health services (except the use of premises attached to the residence of the consultant or practitioner)
- E(f) Creche, day nursery or day centre (not including a residential use)
- E(g) Uses which can be carried out in a residential area without detriment to its amenity:
- E(g)(i) Offices to carry out any operational or administrative functions,
- E(g)(ii) Research and development of products or processes
- E(g)(iii) Industrial processes