Applications, appeals, permitted development, enforcement and planning strategy across England
Planning explanations, updates and practical guidance in video form
The Town and Country Planning (General Development) Order 1948
The 1948 GDO was the first national General Development Order under the post-war Town and Country Planning Act 1947 system. It came into operation on 1st July 1948 and applied across England and Wales.
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.
Several ideas which still appear in modern permitted development can be traced back to the 1948 Order. It allowed certain outbuildings up to 10 feet high and less than 1,000 cubic feet in volume. Gates, fences and walls could also reach 7 feet where the development did not provide access to or abut a highway.
The change-of-use rights were much narrower than today. They included light industrial use of a building used for general industry and certain shop changes involving fried fish shops, tripe shops, pet shops and cats-meat shops.
Temporary uses of land for up to 28 days also appeared in the 1948 Order, an idea which survives in a different form in the modern GPDO.
The 1948 GDO contained 21 permitted development classes using Roman numerals, including a class dealing with the repair of war-damaged buildings.
SI 1948/958 was laid before Parliament on 6th May 1948 and came into operation on 1st July 1948.
You can view the original version here.
The 1948 GDO was amended twice in 1949. Planning Geek does not currently host those two amending Orders. SI 1949/2306 is available from legislation.gov.uk and records SI 1949/195 as the earlier amendment.
SI 1949/195 – The Town and Country Planning (General Development) Amendment Order 1949
SI 1949/2306 – The Town and Country Planning (General Development) Amendment (No. 2) Order 1949 – official PDF
This order was replaced by The Town and Country Planning General Development Order and Development Charge Applications Regulations 1950. Easy to remember!
1948 in the GPDO timeline
1948 GDO updated: 24th September 2026