Use Classes

The following classes of use are set out in the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987 (referred to in Part 2).

A1
Shops
Shops, post offices, travel agents, hairdressers, funeral directors, dry cleaners.
A2
Financial and professional services
Banks, building societies, betting offices, and other financial and professional services.
A3
Food and drink
Pubs, restaurants, cafes, and hot food take-aways.
B1
Business
Offices, research and development, light industry appropriate in a residential area.
B2
General industrial
B8
Storage and distribution
Including open air storage.
C1
Hotels
Hotels, boarding and guest houses where no significant element of care is
provided.
C2
Residential institutions
Residential care homes, hospitals, nursing homes, boarding schools, residential colleges and training centres.
C3
Dwellinghouses
Family houses, or houses occupied by up to six residents living together as
a single household, including a household where care is provided for residents.
D1
Non-residential institutions
Surgeries, nurseries, day centres, schools, art galleries, museums, libraries, halls, churches.
D2
Assembly and leisure
Cinemas, concert halls, bingo and dance halls, casinos, swimming baths,
skating rinks, gymnasiums or sports arenas (except for motor sports, or
where firearms are used).


Changes Of Use Not Requiring A Planning Application

These changes of use are permitted by the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995

From
To
A2 (professional and financial services) when premises have a display window at ground level
A1 (shop)
Sale of motor vehicles
A1 (shop)
A3 (food and drink)
A1 (shop)
A3 (food and drink)
A2 (professional and financial services)
B1 (business) (permission limited to 235 square metres of floor space in the building)
B8 (storage and distribution)
B2 (general industrial)
B1 (business)
B2 (general industrial) (permission limited to
235 square metres of floor space in the building)
B8 (storage and distribution)
B8 (storage and distribution) (permission limited
to 235 square metres of floor space in the building)
B1 (business)

A planning application is also not required for change of use in the following circumstances: from A1 to A1 plus a single flat above; and from A2 to A2 plus a single flat above. These changes are reversible without an application only if the part that is now a flat was, respectively, in either A1 or A2 use immediately before it became a flat.

Changes of Use Requiring A Planning Application

Applications for planning permission are always required for material changes of use involving amusement centres, theatres, scrap yards, petrol filling stations, car showrooms (except for material changes of use from car showrooms to Class A1 uses), taxi and car hire businesses and hostels. 

Contact Details

Planning - Development Control

Email - planning@chester.gov.uk

Opening hours - 8.45am - 4.45pm

Phone number - 01244 402404

Fax - 01244 320946

Address - Development Control, Development Directorate, Chester City Council, The Forum, Chester, CH1 2HS

Print this page | Page Last Updated: 31 October 2008 08:57

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