Class QA: pandemic Crown development

Class QA permits temporary Crown development on Crown land to prevent or respond to a pandemic as defined in the Order.

This is an England permitted development right in Part 19 of Schedule 2 to the GPDO. The relevant conditions and restrictions must be checked against the proposal.

How Class QA works

The developer must notify the local planning authority as soon as practicable. A 12-month cessation, removal and restoration rule applies unless another permission is obtained. The definition concerns a public health emergency of international concern, and the calculation disregards days separately covered by Class Q.

Read the current official Part 19 legislation for the complete wording and any amendments. Planning Geek can advise on the planning position and coordinate with appropriate specialists where needed.

Related: Crown land enforcement

Legislation for Class QA

Class QA – development by the Crown relating to a pandemic

Permitted development

Development by or on behalf of the Crown on Crown land for the purposes of—

(a) preventing a pandemic;

(b) reducing, controlling or mitigating the effects of a pandemic; or

(c) taking other action in connection with a pandemic.

Conditions

QA.1 Development is permitted by Class QA subject to the following conditions—

(a) the developer must, as soon as practicable after commencing development, notify the local planning authority of that development; and

(b) on or before the expiry of the period of 12 months beginning with the date on which the development began—
(i) any use of that land for a purpose of Class QA ceases and any buildings, plant, machinery, structures and erections permitted by Class QA is removed; and
(ii) the land is restored to its condition before the development took place, or to such other state as may be agreed in writing between the local planning authority and the developer,

unless permission for the development has been granted by virtue of any provision of this Schedule or on an application under Part 3 or Part 13 of the Act.

Interpretation of Class QA

QA.2— For the purposes of Class QA—

In calculating the number of days during which development is permitted, no account is to be taken of any day during which development is permitted under Class Q of Part 19 of this Schedule;

“pandemic” means a public health emergency of international concern within the meaning given by the International Health Regulations (2005) of the World Health Organisation adopted by the fifty-eighth World Health Assembly on 23rd May 2005;

“World Health Assembly” has the meaning set out in the Constitution of the World Health Organisation adopted by the International Health Conference held in New York from the 19th June to 22nd July 1946 and signed on 22nd July 1946;

“World Health Organisation” means the specialised agency within the terms of Article 57 of the Charter of the United Nations, established by the Constitution of the World Health Organisation.

Explore GPDO Part 19

Page updated: 24th September 2026