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

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

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

Change of use: agricultural building

Change of use: agricultural building to residential dwelling

Change of use: state funded school or registered nursery

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

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

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)

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)

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

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)

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

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))

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

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