PLANNING CHANGE OF USE

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Planning Change of Use 

Call Now For Advice And Help With Your Application 

0800 456 1060   07436802755

When applying for a change

When applying for a change of use of a commercial or residential premises, it may be necessary to secure  planning permission from your local planning authority.
In most cases planning permission is needed when changing from one use class to another.

In a lot of cases if your current use  class and intended use is the same planning permission may not be needed. 
As some changes are permitted development planning permission may not be needed.

A change of use application is something that is required for a number of use changes with regards to your property. For example, you could be looking to change an outbuilding into a dwelling, and this will require permissions for the use to change. While it may seem like a very simple process, it can often be more complicated than you anticipated, and that is why we are here to help make the application process as smooth as possible.

How to Get a Change of Use

The process of applying for planning permission for a change of use is actually a really simple process, and even easier than a new building application. However, complications can occur, especially with premises that have commercial or agricultural use at present. So, ensuring you do everything right the first time is key.

Sometimes, you can deal with a change is use through what is known as a prior approval process instead of a planning application. What this means is that the change of use is permitted through the process, but the council needs to confirm it along with other associated details. Some local authorities can require planning permission in certain areas, regardless of Permitted Development Rights, but this is research we can help you with.

Change of Use Classes

The Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987 (as amended) categorises the uses of land and buildings into what is known as Use Classes. Usually, you need planning permission to switch from one class to the other.

This is in order to control the use of buildings to ensure that a sufficient number of buildings for housing and employment are not only available, but also do not clash. For example, you do not normally find residential houses in the middle of an industrial state.

You will find that there are a number of different use classes and permitted changes, and below we have gathered some of the most used class types:

Class E  Shops

Class E   Financial and professional services

Class E   Restaurants and cafés

Sui Generis Drinking establishments

Sui Generis Hot food takeaways

Class E Business

Class B2 General industrial

Class B8 Storage or distribution

Class C1 Hotels

Class C2 Residential institutions

Class C3 Dwelling houses

Class C4 Houses in multiple occupation

Class F1 Non-residential institutions

Certificate of Lawful Development

It is not compulsory for you to obtain a certificate of lawful development, but it can help you out in some planning situations. These are things that we can help you to identify, which will in turn help to make the process of obtaining such a certificate.

Of course, there are times when complex issues can occur when you apply for the certificate of lawful development, but this is also something that we can help you through. If your application is refused, you can appeal against the decision, something else that we are able to expertly assist with.

How We Can Help

What we can do is offer excellent quality planning advice from a team of experts that have extensive experience in the field. We can help you to not only avoid common pitfalls, but also ensure that if you end up on the wrong side of your local authorities, the consequences are dealt with professionally. All you need to do is let us know your situation, and we will endeavour to find a solution.

Contact Us 0800 456 1060

If you would like more information on changes of use and how to go about applying for the planning permission, you can speak to our expert team by calling 0800 456 1060. We’re open 24/7 to answer all your questions and help you achieve your desired results.

Call Now For Advice And Help With Your Application 

0800 456 1060   07436802755

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