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Class A: General development by the Crown
Class A allows the Crown to erect, construct, maintain, improve or alter small ancillary buildings, works or equipment on Crown land for operational purposes. It also covers specified minor structures such as shelters, seats, barriers and information kiosks needed for Crown operations.
England only. Welsh permitted development rules are separate.
Need help with permitted development?
Permitted development can avoid a full planning application, but only if the right applies and every relevant limit and condition is met. Planning Geek can check the planning history, Article 4 directions and other restrictions, and help with a lawful development certificate or prior approval where needed.
Which structures qualify?
The list includes lamp standards, passenger shelters, seats, telephone boxes, fire alarms, drinking fountains, bins and barriers for people or vehicles. The reference to a small ancillary building, works or equipment is defined using 4 metres in height or 200 cubic metres in capacity. Read the statutory wording closely rather than treating these as an unrestricted Crown building right.
Practical checks
Confirm the Crown connection, that the land is Crown land for the first limb, and the operational purpose. Other GPDO and land controls can still be relevant.
Official source and further checks
The authoritative wording is Schedule 2 Part 19 of the GPDO 2015. Apply the general provisions in Article 3 as well as the class-specific rules. These pages describe England; Wales has its own GPDO.
Related: Crown land enforcement and the separate Crown development application route.
Wording of Part 19 Class A
The text below is reproduced for convenience. The current version linked above remains the source for a proposal.
Class A – general development by the Crown
Permitted development
A. The erection or construction and the maintenance, improvement or other alteration by or on behalf of the Crown of—
(a) any small ancillary building, works or equipment on Crown land required for operational purposes;
(b) lamp standards, information kiosks, passenger shelters, shelters and seats, telephone boxes, fire alarms, drinking fountains, refuse bins or baskets, barriers for the control of people and vehicles, and similar structures or works required in connection with the operational purposes of the Crown.
Interpretation of Class A
A.1 The reference in Class A to any small ancillary building, works or equipment is a reference to any ancillary building, works or equipment not exceeding 4 metres in height or 200 cubic metres in capacity.
Explore GPDO Part 19
- Part 19 overview: Crown and national security
- Class A: General development by the Crown
- Class B: Operational Crown building extensions
- Class C: Development on operational Crown land
- Class D: Hard surfaces at Crown buildings
- Class E: Airbase operational development
- Class F: Air traffic services inside an airbase
- Class G: Air traffic services outside an airbase
- Class H: Air traffic services on operational land
- Class I: Emergency air traffic apparatus
- Class J: Temporary land use for air traffic services
- Class K: Crown surveys and investigations
- Class L: Buildings on an airbase
- Class M: Crown rail development
- Class N: Crown shipping development
- Class O: Spreading dredged material
- Class P: Lighthouses and aids to shipping
- Class Q: Crown emergency development
Page first published: 16th August 2023. Page updated: 24th September 2026.