Use Classes

The Town and Planning Authority classes order 1987 is a list of categories that different properties and businesses can be separated into, known as use classes. As a general rule, you will need permission to change between different use classes, however there are some exceptions that allow changes between uses. For instance, a common change in use is from a restaurant or cafe to a shop of some description. Nevertheless, it is advised to seek advise from the local planning authority to confirm whether planning permission is required when proposing the change of use of a property. Please see the list below for a general indication of the types of use that will fall into each class.

Please note that this is a guide, and the planning authorities will indicate what the use class is upon application of planning.

Part A – B2C

A1 – shops, hairdressers, post offices, dry cleaners

A2 – financial or professional services – including estate agents and employment agencies

A3 – Restaurants and Cafes – for the sale of food and drink where the customer will consume the product on the premises

A4 – Drinking establishments – pubs and wine bars but not night clubs

Part B – B2B

B1 – Offices

B2 – General Industrial – Use for industrial process

B8 – Storage and distribution – including open air storage

Part C – Hospitality and Residential

C1 – Hotels and guest houses

C2 – Residential care homes, hospitals, boarding schools

C2A – prison, secure hospital, young offenders institution

C3 – Dwellinghouses

C4 – Houses in multiple occupation

Part D – Public Services

D1 – Non-residential institutions – clinics, health centres, art galleries, libraries, places of worship

D2 – Assembly and leisure – cinemas, swimming pools, gyms, music and concert halls

Sui Generis

This is a name given to businesses that don’t naturally fall into any of the use classes provided above. Examples of these are beauty salon/nail bar, betting offices/shops, pay day loan shops.

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