The Town and Country Planning General Development Order 1977

In 1977 we saw a new version of the GDO produced. This version replaced the 1973 version as well as the three amendments made to it.

This order applied to the whole of England and Wales.

We didn’t see any new development rights in this original revision. However in the various amendments, we saw the first mention of satellite dishes in 1977. Also in 1977 we saw the development rights for mobile phone masts.

We saw the definition of a terrace house for the first time in 1985, along with the limiting of extensions to 10 percent on terrace properties or 15 percent otherwise.

In 1987 we saw the new Use Class Order introduced. As a result restaurants or car showrooms could become shops under the 1987 amendment to the GDO 1973. The definition of shops was expanded to include tripe shops, cats-meat shops and pet shops. Did we still have cats-meat shops in 1987?

SI 1977/289 was laid before Parliament on 8th March 1977 and came into operation on 29th March 1977.

You can view the original version here.

There were eight amendments of the GDO 1977. If you need to check for any legislation in the GDO of 1977, you ought to check each of the amendments below to see if they had any impact upon the development right. Any amendments after the implementation of the development right, will not affect it.

SI 1981/245 – The Town and Country Planning General Development (Amendment) Order 1981 – download here
SI 1981/1569 – The Town and Country Planning General Development (Amendment) (No. 2) Order 1981 – download here
SI 1983/1615 – The Town and Country Planning General Development (Amendment) Order 1983 – download here
SI 1985/1011 – The Town and Country Planning General Development (Amendment) Order 1985 – download here
SI 1985/1981 – The Town and Country Planning General Development (Amendment) (No. 2) Order 1985 – download here
SI 1987/702 – The Town and Country Planning General Development (Amendment) Order 1987 – download here
SI 1987/765 – The Town and Country Planning General Development (Amendment) (No. 2) Order 1987 – download here
SI 1988/1272 – The Town and Country Planning General Development (Amendment) Order 1988 – download here

There were also changes to the The Town and Country Planning (National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Conservation Areas etc.) Special Development Order 1985, The Town and Country Planning (National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Conservation Areas etc.) Special Development (Amendment) Order 1986, Article 2 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Government Reorganisation) (Miscellaneous Amendments) Order 1986 and The Town and Country Planning (Agriculture and Forestry Development in National Parks etc.) Special Development Order 1986 which had an impact upon the GDO of 1977.

This order was replaced by The Town and Country Planning General Development Order 1988.