Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987


The Town and Country Planning Order 1987 is a Statutory Instrument, applying in England and Wales, that specifies various "Use Classes" for which planning permission is not required for a building or other land to change from one use within that class to another use within that same class. The UCO 1987 was made by the Secretary of State under authority granted by sections and of the Town and Country Planning Act 1971, which have subsequently been replaced by sections and of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

History of the UCO 1987

The UCO 1987 came into force on 1 June 1987, and was introduced by . The UCO 1987 revoked The Town and Country Planning Order 1972, which was the previous version of the legislation.
Since it came into force, the UCO 1987 has been amended by a number of subsequent Statutory Instruments. In 1999, the functions of the Secretary of State under various sections of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, so far as exercisable in relation to Wales, were transferred to the National Assembly for Wales. This means that, since 1999, the UCO 1987 has been amended by some Statutory Instruments that apply in relation to England only and some that apply in relation to Wales only, resulting in different versions of the UCO 1987.
With respect to England, the Planning Portal website provides a page that summarises the Use Classes. With respect to England, the Planning Jungle website states that the UCO 1987 has been amended by a total of 14 subsequent Statutory Instruments.
The website , which is delivered by the National Archives, provides the original version of the UCO 1987, but states that UK Statutory Instruments are not carried in their "revised" form on the website.

Operation of the UCO 1987

The Schedule of the UCO 1987 specifies the Use Classes for which planning permission is not required for a building or other land to change from one use within that class to another use within that same class.
The following table shows the Use Classes in relation to England in their "revised" form, as summarised on the Planning Portal website. References have been added to indicate those Use Classes that are different in relation to Wales. This table also shows the permitted changes of use from Schedule 2 Part 3 of the Town and Country Planning Order 2015.
Title of Use Class:Description of Use Class:Permitted changes of use:
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.Permitted change to A1 & up to 2 flats.
Permitted change to A2.
Permitted change to A2 & up to 2 flats.
Permitted change to A3.
Permitted change to B1.
Permitted change to C3.
Permitted change to D2.
A2
Financial and professional services		Financial services such as banks and building societies, professional 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.Permitted change to A1.
Permitted change to A1 & up to 2 flats.
Permitted change to A2 & up to 2 flats.
Permitted change to A3.
Permitted change to B1.
Permitted change to C3.
Permitted change to D2.
A3
Restaurants and cafes		For the sale of food and drink for consumption on the premises - restaurants, snack bars and cafes.Permitted change to A1.
Permitted change to A2.
A4
Drinking establishments		Public houses, wine bars or other drinking establishments.Permitted change to drinking establishment with expanded food provision.
A5
Hot food takeaways		For the sale of hot food for consumption off the premises.Permitted change to A1.
Permitted change to A2.
Permitted change to A3.
Permitted change to B1.
Permitted change to C3.
B1
Business		Offices, research and development of products and processes, light industry appropriate in a residential area.Permitted change to B8.
Permitted change from B1 to C3.
Permitted change from B1 to C3.
Permitted change to state-funded school or registered nursery.
B2
General industrial		Use for industrial process other than one falling within class B1.Permitted change to B1.
Permitted change to B8.
B8
Storage or distribution		This class includes open air storage.Permitted change to B1.
Permitted change to C3.
C1
Hotels		Hotels, boarding and guest houses where no significant element of care is provided.Permitted change to a state-funded school or registered nursery.
C2
Residential institutions		Residential care homes, hospitals, nursing homes, boarding schools, residential colleges and training centres.Permitted change to a state-funded school or registered nursery.
C2A
Secure Residential Institution		Use for a provision of secure residential accommodation, including use as a prison, young offenders institution, detention centre, secure training centre, custody centre, short term holding centre, secure hospital, secure local authority accommodation or use as a military barracks.Permitted change to a state-funded school or registered nursery.
C3
Dwellinghouses		C3 covers use by a single person or a family, an employer and certain domestic employees, a carer and the person receiving the care and a foster parent and foster child.
C3: up to six people living together as a single household and receiving care e.g. supported housing schemes such as those for people with learning disabilities or mental health problems.
C3 allows for groups of people living together as a single household. This allows for those groupings that do not fall within the C4 HMO definition, but which fell within the previous C3 use class, to be provided for i.e. a small religious community may fall into this section as could a homeowner who is living with a lodger.		Permitted change to C4.
C4
Houses in multiple occupation		Small shared houses occupied by between three and six unrelated individuals, as their only or main residence, who share basic amenities such as a kitchen or bathroom.Permitted change to C3.
D1
Non-residential institutions		Clinics, health centres, crèches, day nurseries, day centres, schools, art galleries, museums, libraries, halls, places of worship, church halls, law court. Non residential education and training centres.Permitted change from use permitted by Part 3 Class T to previous lawful use of the land.
D2
Assembly and leisure		Cinemas, music and concert halls, bingo and dance halls, swimming baths, skating rinks, gymnasiums or area for indoor or outdoor sports and recreations.Permitted change to a state-funded school or registered nursery.
Sui generisCertain uses do not fall within any use class and are considered 'sui generis'. Such uses include: betting offices/shops, pay day loan shops, theatres, larger houses in multiple occupation, hostels providing no significant element of care, scrap yards. Petrol filling stations and shops selling and/or displaying motor vehicles. Retail warehouse clubs, nightclubs, launderettes, taxi businesses, amusement centres and casinos.Permitted change from A1 & dwellinghouse to C3.
Permitted change from A1 & up to 2 flats to A1.
Permitted change from A1 & up to 2 flats to A2.
Permitted change from A2 & dwellinghouse to C3.
Permitted change from A2 & up to 2 flats to A1.
Permitted change from A2 & up to 2 flats to A2.
Permitted change from agricultural building to C3.
Permitted change from agricultural building to flexible A1/A2/A3/B1/B8/C1/D2.
Permitted change from agricultural building to state-funded school or registered nursery.
Permitted change from amusement arcade or centre to C3.
Permitted change from betting office to A1.
Permitted change from betting office to A1 & up to 2 flats.
Permitted change from betting office to A2.
Permitted change from betting office to A2 & up to 2 flats.
Permitted change from betting office to A3.
Permitted change from betting office to B1.
Permitted change from betting office to C3.
Permitted change from betting office to D2.
Permitted change from betting office to betting office & up to 2 flats.
Permitted change from betting office & dwellinghouse to C3.
Permitted change from betting office & up to 2 flats to A1.
Permitted change from betting office & up to 2 flats to A2.
Permitted change from betting office & up to 2 flats to betting office.
Permitted change from casino to A3.
Permitted change from casino to C3.
Permitted change from casino to D2.
Permitted change from drinking establishment with expanded food provision to A4.
Permitted change from launderette to B1.
Permitted change from launderette to C3.
Permitted change from launderette & dwellinghouse to C3.
Permitted change from pay day loan shop to A1.
Permitted change from pay day loan shop to A1 & up to 2 flats.
Permitted change from pay day loan shop to A2.
Permitted change from pay day loan shop to A2 & up to 2 flats.
Permitted change from pay day loan shop to A3.
Permitted change from pay day loan shop to B1.
Permitted change from pay day loan shop to C3.
Permitted change from pay day loan shop to D2.
Permitted change from pay day loan shop to pay day loan shop & up to 2 flats.
Permitted change from pay day loan shop & dwellinghouse to C3.
Permitted change from pay day loan shop & up to 2 flats to A1.
Permitted change from pay day loan shop & up to 2 flats to A2.
Permitted change from pay day loan shop & up to 2 flats to pay day loan shop.