The Government has consulted on an important change to Class B of Part 11 of the GPDO which would remove the Class B demolition rights under permitted development from buildings registered as Assets of Community Value.
If the proposal goes ahead, all registered Assets of Community Value (ACVs) and future Sporting Assets of Community Value (SACVs) would require a planning application before demolition. The consultation was published on 10 June 2026 and closed on 5 August 2026. Nothing has changed in law yet.
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What does Class B demolition currently allow?
Class B of Part 11 is the national permitted development right for the demolition of certain buildings. Except where demolition is urgently necessary in the interests of health and safety, it is normally subject to the local planning authority considering the method of demolition and restoration of the site through the prior approval process.
Some buildings are already excluded from Class B, including pubs, theatres, concert and live music venues and certain statues, memorials and monuments.
What is the Government proposing?
The consultation proposes excluding all registered ACVs and future SACVs from Class B. Demolition would therefore need a planning application, allowing the local planning authority to consider the loss of the asset through the normal planning process.
This is important because Asset of Community Value status does not currently remove the demolition right simply because a building is listed as an ACV. Some ACVs are protected for other reasons – a pub is the obvious example – but the new proposal would create a consistent rule for all registered assets.
Why is this being proposed now?
The proposed GPDO change sits alongside reforms made by the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026. The Government says the new Community Right to Buy will give communities the first opportunity to buy an ACV that an owner decides to sell, with a 12-month period to raise funds and an independent valuation mechanism.
The Act also provides for a new Sporting Assets of Community Value category and a wider range of assets to qualify. Those reforms are separate from the Class B proposal and require their own commencement arrangements.
Selling an ACV and demolishing one are different
The Community Right to Buy is triggered when an owner decides to sell. The demolition proposal addresses a different situation: an owner might retain the land but remove the building.
By taking ACVs and SACVs out of Class B, the Government would make the status of the asset itself relevant to whether demolition needs express planning permission.
What does this mean for owners and developers?
For now, nothing has changed. The consultation has closed but no amendment to the GPDO has yet been made.
If the proposal is implemented, checking the ACV or SACV status of a building will become an important part of demolition due diligence. Our Class B demolition guide continues to explain the law as it currently stands, while our ACV guide explains the existing community asset regime.
Read the consultation
The proposal formed part of the wider MHCLG consultation on schools, assets of community value, defence and conservation. You can read the consultation on GOV.UK.
Class B demolition rights Published: 21st August 2026
