Prior approval and notification of change of use

Prior approval

Prior approval relates to ​​​​​​​permitted development. Permitted development rights are a national grant of planning permission which allow certain building works and changes of use to be carried out without having to make a planning application. Where a relevant permitted development right is in place, there is no need to apply to the local planning authority for permission to carry out that work (permitted development rights do not override the requirement to comply with other permission, regulation or consent regimes).

However, in a small number of cases, it may be necessary to obtain prior approval from a local planning authority before carrying out permitted development.

You can find further information about prior approval on the Planning Portal.
 

Change of use

You can find information about use classes on the Planning Portal. The Planning Portal also has guidance on whether planning permission is needed for change of use.

The forms below are for changes of use that may require prior approval.

Apply

You can apply online on the Planning Portal website.

Alternatively, you can download the application form and submit it to us via email or post. Below we've listed the relevant forms and documents for each type of application:
 

Notification of a proposed larger home extension

• Application form (larger home extension)
• CIL PAAIR form
• Fee information
• Help notes (larger home extension)
   

Change of use: office (class B1) to residential dwelling

• Application form (office to residential)
• CIL PAAIR form
• Fee information
   

Change of use: retail (class A1 or A2) to residential dwelling

• Application form (retail to residential)
• CIL PAAIR form
• Fee information
   

Change of use: agricultural building

• Application form (agricultural building)
• Fee information
   

Change of use: agricultural building to residential dwelling

• Application form (agricultural to residential)
• CIL PAAIR form
• Fee information
   

Change of use: state funded school or registered nursery

• Application form (state funded school or registered nursery)
• Fee information
   

Change of use: agricultural building to state funded school or registered nursery

• Application form (agricultural to state funded school or registered nursery)
• Fee information

Change of use: amusement arcades/centres and casinos, (sui generis uses) and any land within its curtilage to residential dwelling

• Application form (sui generis uses to residential)
• CIL PAAIR form
• Fee information
   

Change of use: shops (class A1), financial and professional services (class A2), betting offices, pay day loan shops and casinos (sui generis uses) to restaurants and cafes (class A3)

• Application form (class A1, A2, sui generis uses to class A3)
• Fee information
   

Change of use: shops (class A1) and financial and professional services (class A2), betting offices, pay day loan shops (sui generis uses) to assembly and leisure uses (class D2)

• Application form (class A1, A2, sui generis uses to class D2)
• Fee information
   

Change of use: shops (class A1), financial and professional services (class A2), takeaways (class A5), betting offices, pay day loan shops or launderettes (sui generis uses); or a mixed use combining use as a dwellinghouse (class C3) with a shop (class A1) or financial and professional service (class A2), betting office, pay day loan shop or launderette (sui generis uses); to dwellinghouses (class C3), and for building operations reasonably necessary for the conversion

• Application form (class A1, class A2, class A5, Sui Generis Uses or a Mixed Use combining class C3 with class A1, class A2, Sui Generis Uses to class C3)
• Fee information
   

Change of use: agricultural buildings to a flexible use within shops (class A1), financial and professional services (class A2), restaurants and cafes (class A3), business (class B1), storage or distribution (class B8), hotels (class C1) or assembly and leisure (class D2)

• Application form (agricultural to flexible use within class A1, class A2, class A3, class B1, class B8, class C1 or class D2)
• Fee information
   

Change of use: light industrial (class B1(c)) to dwellinghouses (Class C3)

• Application form (light industrial to dwellinghouses)
• Fee information
   

Change of use: shops (class A1), financial and professional services (class A2), takeaways (class A5), betting offices, pay day loan shops or laundrettes (sui generis uses) to offices (class B1(a))

• Application form (class A1, class A2, class A5, Sui Generis Uses to class B1(a))
• Fee information
   

Development consisting of the erection or construction of a click and collect facility within the curtilage of a shop

• Application form (click and collect facility)
• Fee information
   

Temporary use of buildings or land for the purpose of commercial film-making and the associated temporary structures, works, plant or machinery required in connection with that use

• Application form (temporary use for commercial film-making)
• Fee information
   

Installation, alteration or replacement of solar photovoltaics (PV) equipment on the roofs of non-domestic buildings, up to a capacity of 1 megawatt

• Application form (Solar Photovoltaics (PV) equipment)
• Fee information
   

Provision of temporary school buildings on vacant commercial land and the use of that land as a state-funded school for up to 3 academic years

• Application form (temporary school buildings)
• Fee information