Directory of use classes
On this page, we state that there is no list of use classes. There isn’t. This is not a list of use classes. It is however a directory showing which use classes we expect a particular use to fall into. There is a difference – honest! This is a directory where we expect the uses to come. Note that there are a few oddities to the directory, as local authorities can try to vary where the use is not defined in the Use Class Order.
It isn’t every building use within England, but there are quite a few! Some might be open to debate as well. Where a use class is not described in either Use Class B, C, E, F1 or F2 then it falls outside the Use Class Order and is therefore Sui Generis. However the description especially in Use Class E does open up some options.
A recent appeal APP/R5510/X/22/3290784 was confirmed by the inspectorate that a former restaurant could become a tanning salon, a use that was previously deemed as Sui Generis. This was thanks to the new wording in Use Class E that says ‘any other services which it is appropriate to provide in a commercial, business or service locality’ .
Note that buildings which have multiple true uses could well be classed as Sui Generis. However if the secondary use is ancillary then the Use Class remains as the main one. For example a Cathedral with a shop would still be F1, as the gift shop is ancillary to the Church.
We will add to this directory if we find that some common uses are missing. If you feel we are wrong in any of these, please let us know! It might just be a typo on our part.
The Use Class Directory
You can sort this table on either column. You may also search for keywords. We have over 160 examples in the Use Class Directory, but if any are missing, let us know.
| Usage | Use Class |
|---|---|
| Adult Entertainment Venue | Sui Generis |
| Agricultural Units | Sui Generis |
| Alkali Work | Sui Generis |
| Amusement Arcade | Sui Generis |
| Aparthotels | C1 |
| Artists Studio | E |
| Banks | E |
| Barbers | E |
| Barns | Sui Generis |
| Beauty Salons | E * |
| Bed & Breakfast | C1 |
| Bedsit | C4 |
| Betting Shops | Sui Generis |
| Bingo Hall | Sui Generis |
| Boarding Houses | C1 |
| Boarding Kennels | Sui Generis |
| Builders Yard | Sui Generis ∆ |
| Building Societies | E |
| Buildings used for storage | B8 |
| Bungalows (use by single person or family) | C3 |
| Cafés | E |
| Cab Company | Sui Generis |
| Car Hire / Car Rental | Sui Generis |
| Car Racing | Sui Generis |
| Car Repairs | B2 |
| Car Showroom | Sui Generis |
| Caravan SIte | Sui Generis |
| Casino | Sui Generis |
| Catering premises & production | B2 |
| Catering Storage & Distribution | B8 |
| Cattery | Sui Generis |
| Church Halls | F1 |
| Churches | F1 |
| Cinema | Sui Generis |
| Clinics | E |
| Concert Hall | Sui Generis |
| Crèches | E |
| Cricket Pitches | F2 |
| Custody Centres | C2A |
| Dance Hall | Sui Generis |
| Day Nurseries | E |
| Dentists | E |
| Detention Centres | C2A |
| Distribution Centres | B8 |
| DIY Shed | E |
| Dog Grooming Parlour | E * |
| Drinking Establishments with Expanded Food Provision | Sui Generis |
| Dry Cleaners | E |
| Employment Agencies | E |
| Estate Agencies | E |
| Exhibition Halls | F1 |
| Factories | B2 |
| Fast Food Takeaway | Sui Generis |
| Firearms Sports | Sui Generis |
| Flats (use by single person or family) | C3 |
| Football Pitches | F2 |
| Fuel Stations | Sui Generis |
| Funeral Directors | E |
| Funfairs | Sui Generis |
| Garages (Fuel) | Sui Generis |
| General Industrial | B2 |
| Group of up to 6 people living together as a single household | C3 |
| Group of up to 6 people living together with care | C3 |
| Guest Houses | C1 |
| Gymnasiums (Gyms) | E |
| Hairdressers | E |
| Hall or Meeting Place for local use | F2 |
| Health Centres | E |
| Hire Shops | E |
| HMOs (3 to 6 people) | C4 |
| HMOs (7+ people) | Sui Generis |
| Homeowner with a lodger | C3 |
| Hospitals | C2 |
| Hostels (No care) | Sui Generis |
| Hot Food Takeaways | Sui Generis |
| Hotels | C1 |
| Houses (use by single person or family) | C3 |
| Industrial Process | B2 |
| Industrial Processes in a residential area without causing detriment to the amenity of the area | E |
| Internet Cafes | E |
| Job Centre | E |
| Kennels | Sui Generis |
| Landfill Sites | Sui Generis |
| Lap Dancing Club | Sui Generis |
| Large HMOs | Sui Generis |
| Launderettes | Sui Generis |
| Law Courts | F1 |
| Light Industrial | E |
| Live Music Venue | Sui Generis |
| Local Halls | F2 |
| Local Shops (no other such facility < 280 sq m within 1 km) | F2 |
| Maisonettes (use by single person or family) | C3 |
| Massage Parlour | E * |
| Military Barracks | C2A |
| Minicab Company | Sui Generis |
| MOT Centre | B2 |
| Motorcycle Showroom | Sui Generis |
| Motorsport Arenas | Sui Generis |
| Museums | F1 |
| Music Studio | E |
| Nail Bar | E * |
| Nightclubs | Sui Generis |
| Non-residential Education and Training Centres | F1 |
| Non-retail Photographic Studio | E |
| Nursing Homes | C2 |
| Offices | E |
| Open Air Storage | B8 |
| Osteopath | E |
| Other Drinking Establishments | Sui Generis |
| Outdoor Sport | F2 |
| Payday Loan Shops | Sui Generis |
| Pet Shops | E |
| Petrol Stations | Sui Generis |
| Phone Shop | E |
| Photographic Studio | E |
| Places of Worship | F1 |
| Police Offices (not a station) | E |
| Police Stations | Sui Generis |
| Post Offices | E |
| Postal Sorting Offices | Sui Generis |
| Printers | E |
| Prisons | C2A |
| Private Hire Company | Sui Generis |
| Professional Services | E |
| Public Halls (except local) | F1 |
| Public Libraries | F1 |
| Public Reading Room | F1 |
| Pubs | Sui Generis |
| Recording Studios | E |
| Religious Instruction | F1 |
| Research & Development | E |
| Residential Accommodation in need of care | C2 |
| Residential Schools, Colleges or Training Centres | C2 |
| Restaurant | E |
| Retail Warehouse Club | Sui Generis |
| Retail Warehouses | E |
| Sale of cold food for consumption off premises | E |
| Schools | F1 |
| Scrap Yards | Sui Generis |
| Secure Hospitals | C2A |
| Secure Local Authority Accommodation | C2A |
| Secure Training Centres | C2A |
| Serviced Accommodation | C1 / C3 Sui Generis † |
| Shops | E |
| Short term holding Centres | C2A |
| Skating Rink | F2 |
| Snooker Hall | E |
| Solicitors | E |
| Sports Arenas | F2 |
| Student Blocks | Sui Generis |
| Sunbed Salon | E * |
| Supported Housing with care (up to 6 people) | C3 |
| Swimming Pools | F2 |
| Takeaway | Sui Generis |
| Tanning Salon | E * |
| Tattoo Parlours | E * |
| Taxi Company | Sui Generis |
| Tennis Courts | F2 |
| Theatres | Sui Generis |
| Ticket Agencies | E |
| Tourist Information | E |
| Travel Agencies | E |
| Vehicle Sports | Sui Generis |
| Veterinary Practice (Vets) | E |
| Visitor Centre | Sui Generis |
| Warehouses | B8 |
| Wine Bars | Sui Generis |
| Yard for Breaking of Motor Vehicles | Sui Generis |
| Yard for Storage / Distribution of Minerals | Sui Generis |
| Young Offenders’ Institutions | C2A |
| Zoo | Sui Generis |
A recent appeal APP/R5510/X/22/3290784 was confirmed by the inspectorate that a former restaurant could become a tanning salon, a use that was previously deemed as Sui Generis, thanks to the line referred to above.
∆ Builders Merchants could be classed as B8 or Sui Generis. Wickes tend to prefer Use Class B8 / E and have obtained this at appeal.
† Serviced accommodation (SA) or Airbnb etc., can be classed as Use Class C1, C3 or Sui Generis, depending upon the local authority and the number of nights occupied per year. Serviced Accommodation or SA for short, does not appear in the Use Class Order as a result various local authorities treat them differently.
Eek! I still need help…..
No worries – book a session with Ian, the founder of Planning Geek and he will assist you via Zoom on both the building and also what you can do with it.
You can book a session via this page.
Page Updated: 9th October 2023
Planning Use Classes
| Which Use Class is my building? | UCO Timeline |
| Class A (now defunct) | Class E |
| Class B | Class F1 |
| Class C | Class F2 |
| Class D (now defunct) | Sui Generis |