Planning and business

Introduction

If you wish to run a business you need to find appropriate premises and you may need to apply for planning permission. 

Advice

You should always seek advice at an early stage. We are happy to advise you whether or not you need planning permission to use a particular property in the way you propose. 

A booklet 'Planning Permission a guide for business' is available from www.communities.gov.uk.

For business use you need to find premises that are in the appropriate 'Use Class', or you will need to apply for change of use. 

Applying for Planning Permission

You do not normally need planning permission to change between uses within the same use class, and some changes of use between classes is also permitted.

How to apply for planning permission

Helpful links

The following pages may also be of interest to you:

• Running a business from Home
• Opening a café, bar or restaurant
• Changing from one type of shop to another

Use Classes

The following classes are set out in the Town and Country Planning Use Classes Order:

A1: Shops

Shops, post offices, travel agents, hairdressers, funeral directors, dry cleaners.  Car Sales are excluded from this use class

A2: Financial and professional services

Banks, building societies, betting offices, and other financial and professional services where the services are provided to visiting members of the public.

A3: Restaurants and cafés
A4: Drinking establishments
A5: Hot food take aways
B1: Business

Offices, research and development and what is commonly referred to as "light industry"

B2: General industrial

Other industrial uses

B8: Storage and distribution

Use for storage or as a distribution centre, including open-air storage.

C1: Hotels

Hotels, boarding houses and guest houses.  Hostels are excluded from this use class

C2: Residential institutions

Residential Care homes or nursing homes, boarding schools, residential colleges, hospitals.

C3: Dwellinghouses

Family homes, or houses occupied by up to six residents living together as a single household.  This can include a household where care is provided for residents.

D1: Non residential institutions

Surgeries, nurseries, crèches, schools, art galleries, museums, libraries, halls or churches.

D2: Assembly and leisure

Cinemas, concert halls, bingo halls, dance halls, swimming baths, sports halls.  Theatres, Amusement Arcades, funfairs, and sports involving motorised vehicles or firearms are excluded from this use class.

Changes of use not requiring a planning application.

You do not normally need to make a planning application to change from one use to another within the same use class. 
In addition the following changes are permitted by the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order.

Changing from:  A2: Professional and financial services (when the premises have a display window at ground floor level)
To:  A1: Shop

Changing from:  A4: Drinking establishment or Class A5: Hot food take away
To:  Class A3: Restaurants and cafés

Changing from:  Class A3: Restaurants and cafés, Class A4: Drinking establishment or Class A5: Hot food take away
To:  Class A1: Shops or A2: Financial and professional services

Changing from:  B2: General industrial
To:  B1: Business

Changing from:  B8: Storage and distribution (limited to 235m² of floorspace in the building)
To:  B1: Business

Changing from:  B1: Business (limited to 235m² of floorspace in the building)
To:  B8: Storage and distribution

Changing from:  B2: General industrial (limited to 235m² of floorspace in the building)
To:  B8: Storage and distribution

Before purchasing a property or signing a lease, you should write to us and seek written confirmation that the use you propose will not require planning permission.

If you own an industrial building or warehouse you can also make some changes without the need to make a planning application. 

The Planning Portal has guides on extending or altering industrial buildings and warehouses and also new industrial buildings or warehouses.
The guides can be found here.

Finding business premises

Visit our Estates pages for details of Council owned land and property for sale or to let.

You can also use a commercial estate agent. The following list is provided for information only, there may be other agents available in the area.

National Commercial Estate Agent sites

• www.estatesgazette.com
• www.rightmove.co.uk
• www.rightbiz.co.uk
• www.primelocation.com

Local Commercial sites

• www.rossandco.co.uk
• www.cluttons.com
• www.cliveemson.co.uk

Conservation and business

This leaflet has been produced to help you make the most of your business in Hastings and St Leonards, even if you are considering a building that is either listed or in a conservation area.

• Conservation and Business (.pdf 228KB)