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Class A: Mining land, plant and buildings
Part 17 Class A permits specified plant, buildings, private ways, railways, sewers, pipes and similar works on land used as a mine. It supports the winning, working, treatment, storage and removal of minerals or mine waste within the statutory limits.
The right depends on the mine, land status, purpose and scale of the proposed works. It is not a general building permission on former mining land.
England only. For other jurisdictions, see the Welsh GPDO or local legislation.
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Land and purpose
At an underground mine, Class A works must be on an approved site under Paragraph N, with an additional historic deposited-plan test for the specified type of adjoining land. The principal purpose must connect to the minerals at that mine or material brought to its surface, or their treatment, storage or removal. Works that materially affect the mine’s external appearance fall outside Class A.
Main dimensional limits
New buildings, plant or machinery are generally limited to 15 metres, with special measurement rules in excavations and allowances for replacing taller existing equipment. A new building other than a replacement cannot exceed 1,000 square metres of floorspace. An altered, extended or replaced building cannot exceed its previous cubic content by more than 25% or its floorspace by more than 1,000 square metres.
After mining ceases
The permitted buildings, plant and machinery must generally be removed and the land restored within 24 months of permanent cessation, unless the mineral planning authority agrees otherwise in writing or agrees a longer period. Read A.1 and A.2 in full before work starts.
Relevant legislation
Read the current GPDO Schedule 2 Part 17 text together with the general limits in Article 3. The statutory extract below provides the detailed class wording; check the consolidated text for any later changes.
Class A: Mining land, plant and buildings statutory wording
Class A – extensions, alterations etc ancillary to mining operations
Permitted development
A. The carrying out of operations for the erection, extension, installation, rearrangement, replacement, repair or other alteration of any—
(a) plant or machinery,
(b) buildings,
(c) private ways or private railways or sidings, or
(d) sewers, mains, pipes, cables or other similar apparatus,
on land used as a mine.
Development not permitted
A.1 Development is not permitted by Class A—
(a) in relation to land at an underground mine—
(i) on land which is not an approved site; or
(ii) on land to which the description in paragraph N.2(1)(b) of this Part applies, unless a plan of that land was deposited with the mineral planning authority before 5th June 1989;
(b) if the principal purpose of the development would be any purpose other than—
(i) purposes in connection with the winning and working of minerals at that mine or of minerals brought to the surface at that mine; or
(ii) the treatment, storage or removal from the mine of such minerals or waste materials derived from them;
(c) if the external appearance of the mine would be materially affected;
(d) if the height of any building, plant or machinery which is not in an excavation would exceed—
(i) 15 metres above ground level; or
(ii) the height of the building, plant or machinery, if any, which is being rearranged, replaced or repaired or otherwise altered,
whichever is the greater;
(e) if the height of any building, plant or machinery in an excavation would exceed—
(i) 15 metres above the excavated ground level; or
(ii) 15 metres above the lowest point of the unexcavated ground immediately adjacent to the excavation; or
(iii) the height of the building, plant or machinery, if any, which is being rearranged, replaced or repaired or otherwise altered,
whichever is the greatest;
(f) if any building erected (other than a replacement building) would have a floor space exceeding 1,000 square metres; or
(g) if the cubic content of any replaced, extended or altered building would exceed by more than 25% the cubic content of the building replaced, extended or altered or the floor space would exceed by more than 1,000 square metres the floor space of that building.
Condition
A.2 Development is permitted by Class A subject to the condition that before the end of the period of 24 months from the date when the mining operations have permanently ceased, or any longer period which the mineral planning authority agree in writing—
(a) all buildings, plant and machinery permitted by Class A are removed from the land unless the mineral planning authority have otherwise agreed in writing; and
(b) the land is restored, so far as is practicable, to its condition before the development took place, or restored to such condition as may have been agreed in writing between the mineral planning authority and the developer.
Page created: 16th August 2023
Page updated: 24th September 2026