Planning Applications Explained
Application for a Business Park of mixed classes B 1, B 2 and B 8 uses.
Application approved for a Cash and Carry retail business with cafeteria Classes use A1 and A3
As at February 2006
Class A1. Shops
Description:
- Retail sale of goods other than hot food,
- Post office,
- Sale of tickets or travel agency,
- Sale of sandwiches or other cold food for consumption off the premises,
- Hairdressing,
- Direction of funerals,
- Display of goods for sale,
- Hiring out of domestic or personal goods or articles,
- Washing or cleaning of clothes or fabrics on the premises,
- Reception of goods to be washed, cleaned or repaired,
- Internet café; where the primary purpose of the premises is to provide facilities for enabling members of the public to access the internet
... where the sale, display or service is to visiting members of the public.
Specific exclusions (see "sui generis" below):
Launderette, sale of motor fuel, sale or display of motor vehicles, taxi business, motor vehicle hire, retail warehouse club.
Class A3. Restaurants and cafes
Description:
Sale of food and drink for consumption on the premises.
Class B1. Business
Description:
- Office other than a use within class A2 (financial and professional services),
- Research and development of products or processes,
- Industrial process
... being a use which can be carried out in any residential areawithout detriment to the amenity of that area by reason of
Class B2. General industrial
Description:
- Carrying on of an industrial process other than one falling within class B1 above.
Specific exclusions (see "sui generis" below):
Scrapyard or yard for the breaking of motor vehicles, any work registrable under the Alkali etc. Works Regulation Act 1906, waste disposal installation for the incineration or chemical treatment (certain conditions) or landfill of waste (certain conditions)
Class B8. Storage or distribution
Description:
- Storage or distribution centre.
Specific exclusions (see "sui generis" below):
Yard for the storage or distribution of minerals
Permitted development from B8:
A change in use from B8 to B1 (subject to a maximum of 235 sq m) is permitted development.
Other comments:
It has been judged that class B8 does not allow the storage or distribution centre to be used as a shop, except to a limited incidental extent. It has also been judged that B8 does not cover use as a car-park.
Ancillary uses:
An "ancillary" use is a use that is "secondary" (or "incidental") to another use. For example, if the main use of a building is as an office, then the use of part of the building as a staff canteen is an "ancillary" use. Planning permission for ancillary uses is automatically included in the planning permission for the primary use. Note that it can sometimes be difficult to decide whether a second use is an "ancillary" use, or simply a second "main" use.
In terms of the Use Classes Order, an ancillary use falls within the class relating to the primary use. For example, an office with a staff canteen falls solely under class B1 rather than falling under classes B1 and A3.