Prior approval for demolition under Class B

 

Class B prior approval for demolition is a special 28-day procedure under Part 11 of the GPDO. It applies where demolition is development, Class B actually grants the planning permission, and the demolition is neither urgently necessary under B.2(a) nor “excluded demolition” under B.3.

Before using this procedure, read our full guide to Class B demolition and relevant demolition. That page deals with the separate 50 m³ test for whether demolition is development, the 115 m³ conservation-area threshold, relevant demolition under section 196D, Class C for walls and gates, and the Class B exclusions.

One common Class B prior approval case in a conservation area is demolition of an ordinary building which is over 50 m³ but no more than 115 m³, because it can be development while being excluded from relevant demolition. That is not the only possible case: the 2015 Conservation Areas Direction contains other exclusions from relevant demolition. Outside a conservation area, an ordinary building over 50 m³ can also fall within Class B.

Class B itself is for demolition of a building. Article 2 of the GPDO expressly excludes Class B from the normal rule that “building” includes part of a building, so partial works need separate analysis and may instead amount to alteration or require another permission.

The 28 days run from the date the local planning authority receives the application. Demolition must not begin merely because the application has been submitted. You must wait until the authority says prior approval is not required, grants prior approval where it is required, or the statutory 28-day period expires without a determination being made and notified.

See our general guide to prior approval and our current planning application fees page for the wider application framework.

 

 

What does the Class B legislation require with the application?

 

B.2(b) sets a short statutory minimum. The application must be made before demolition begins and must be accompanied by:

• a written description of the proposed development
• a statement that the required site notice has been posted
• any fee which is required to be paid

The site notice itself must contain the applicant’s name, a description including the address of the building or buildings proposed for demolition, a statement that prior approval is being sought as to the method of demolition and any proposed restoration of the site, the proposed demolition date, and the name and address of the local planning authority. It must be signed and dated by or on behalf of the applicant.

The notice must be displayed on or near the land and left in place for at least 21 days within the 28-day period. If it is removed, obscured or defaced without the applicant’s fault or intention, the GPDO contains a saving provision where reasonable steps have been taken to protect and, if necessary, replace it.

 

What should you provide to help the council decide?

 

The prior-approval question is specifically whether approval is required as to the method of demolition and any proposed restoration of the site. A sensible submission should therefore make those matters clear. Depending on the site and the local application system, useful supporting material can include:

• a clear site location plan identifying the building
• a concise description of the demolition method and sequencing
• details of how demolition material will be handled and removed
• details of any proposed restoration, levelling, surfacing or making-good of the site
• the proposed programme and expected start date
• information about access, public rights of way, neighbouring land or trees where these affect the demolition method
• contact details for arranging a site visit where useful

Do not confuse information requested by an application form with the legal scope of the prior approval. The GPDO itself identifies the statutory documents and the matters for prior approval. A council cannot turn this Class B procedure into a general planning merits application about whether demolition should happen if the development is otherwise permitted by Class B.

 

What happens at the end of the 28 days?

 

Development must not begin before one of three things happens:

• the council gives written notice that prior approval is not required
• the council decides prior approval is required and then grants it
• 28 days expire after the council received the application without it making and notifying a determination

Where prior approval is granted, the demolition must follow the approved details. Where prior approval is not required, or the 28-day period expires without a notified determination, the demolition must follow the details submitted with the application unless the council agrees otherwise in writing.

Class B also requires the development to be carried out within the specified five-year period. Most importantly, expiry of the 28 days does not rescue a proposal which was never permitted by Class B in the first place. Check the Class B demolition tests before relying on the fallback.

 

Current Class B legislation

 

The extract below was checked against the current Part 11 legislation on 20th August 2026. Always check the live legislation.gov.uk text before relying on it for a project.

Class B – demolition of buildings

Permitted development

B. Any building operation consisting of the demolition of a building.

Development not permitted

B.1 Development is not permitted by Class B if—

(a) the building has been rendered unsafe or otherwise uninhabitable by the action or inaction of any person having an interest in the land on which the building stands and it is practicable to secure safety or health by works of repair or works for affording temporary support;

(b) the demolition is “relevant demolition” for the purposes of section 196D of the Act (demolition of an unlisted etc building in a conservation area)

(c) the building is used, or was last used, for a purpose falling within—
(i) article 3(6)(p) (drinking establishments etc.) of the Use Classes Order; or
(ii) article 3(6)(q) (drinking establishments with expanded food provision) of that Order;

(d) the building is used, or was last used, for the purpose of—
(i) a concert hall;
(ii) a venue for live music performance; or
(iii) a theatre; or

(e) the demolition relates to a statue, memorial or monument (“a commemorative structure”) in place for a period of at least 10 years on the date of any proposed demolition, other than a commemorative structure—
(i) that is a listed building;
(ii) that is a scheduled monument;
(iii) within a cemetery, on consecrated land, or within the curtilage of a place of public worship;

(iv) within the grounds of a museum or art gallery; or

(v) within the curtilage of a dwellinghouse.

Conditions

B.2 Development is permitted by Class B subject to the following conditions—

(a) where demolition is urgently necessary in the interests of safety or health and the measures immediately necessary in such interests are the demolition of the building the developer must, as soon as reasonably practicable, give the local planning authority a written justification of the demolition;

(b) where the demolition does not fall within paragraph (a) and is not excluded demolition—

(i) the developer must, before beginning the development, apply to the local planning authority for a determination as to whether the prior approval of the authority will be required as to the method of demolition and any proposed restoration of the site;

(ii) an application described in paragraph (b)(i) must be accompanied by a written description of the proposed development, a statement that a notice has been posted in accordance with paragraph (b)(iv) and any fee required to be paid;

(iv) subject to paragraph (b)(v), the applicant must display a site notice by site display on or near the land on which the building to be demolished is sited and must leave the notice in place for not less than 21 days in the period of 28 days beginning with the date on which the application was submitted to the local planning authority;

(v) where the site notice is, without any fault or intention of the applicant, removed, obscured or defaced before the period of 21 days referred to in paragraph (b)(iv) has elapsed, the applicant is treated as having complied with the requirements of that paragraph if the applicant has taken reasonable steps for protection of the notice and, if need be, its replacement;

(vii) the development must not begin before the occurrence of one of the following—
(aa) the receipt by the applicant from the local planning authority of a written notice of their determination that such prior approval is not required;
(bb) where the local planning authority give the applicant notice within 28 days following the date of receiving the application of their determination that such prior approval is required, the giving of such approval; or
(cc) the expiry of 28 days following the date on which the application was received by the local planning authority without the local planning authority making any determination as to whether such approval is required or notifying the applicant of their determination;

(viii) the development must, except to the extent that the local planning authority otherwise agree in writing, be carried out—
(aa) where prior approval is required, in accordance with the details approved;
(bb) where prior approval is not required, in accordance with the details submitted with the application;

(ix) the development must be carried out—
(aa) where approval has been given by the local planning authority, within a period of 5 years from the date on which approval was given;
(bb) in any other case, within a period of 5 years from the date on which the local planning authority were given the information referred to in paragraph (b)(ii).

Interpretation of Class B

B.3 For the purposes of Class B—

“cemetery” has the meaning given by section 214(8) of the Local Government Act 1972113;

“dwellinghouse” does not include educational accommodation;

“excluded demolition” means demolition—
(a) on land which is the subject of a planning permission, for the redevelopment of the land, granted on an application or deemed to be granted under Part 3 of the Act (control over development),
(b) permitted to be carried out by a consent under Part 1 of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 (scheduled monument consent),
(c) permitted to be carried out by a consent under Part 1 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 (listed building consent),
(d) required or permitted to be carried out by or under any other enactment, or
(e) required to be carried out by virtue of a relevant obligation;

“relevant obligation” means—
(a) an obligation arising under an agreement made under section 106 of the Act, as originally enacted (agreements regulating development or use of land);
(b) a planning obligation entered into under section 106 of the Act, as substituted by section 12 of the Planning and Compensation Act 1991 (planning obligations), or under section 299A of the Act (Crown planning obligations);
(c) an obligation arising under, or under an agreement made under, any provision corresponding to section 106 of the Act, as originally enacted or as substituted by the Planning and Compensation Act 1991, or to section 299A of the Act;

“site notice” means a notice containing—
(a) the name of the applicant,
(b) a description, including the address, of the building or buildings which it is proposed to be demolished,
(c) a statement that the applicant has applied to the local planning authority for a determination as to whether the prior approval of the authority will be required as to the method of demolition and any proposed restoration of the site,
(d) the date on which the applicant proposes to carry out the demolition, and
(e) the name and address of the local planning authority,
and which is signed and dated by or on behalf of the applicant;

 

 

Conservation, Heritage & Protected Sites

 

Prior Approval for Demolition Page Updated: 20th August 2026