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Shops: Planning Permission

Answer

The Government have already made a number of positive changes to the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987 (as amended). Planning permission is now needed to convert a shop under Class Al: ““Shops”” into a coffee shop under Class A3: ““Restaurants and Cafés””. This class was designed specifically for businesses where the primary purpose is the sale and consumption of food and light refreshments on the premises. The Use Classes Order also allows Class A3 uses to change to Class Al uses without planning permission.In 2005 the Government changed the Use Classes Order to expand Use Class Al to include internet cafés which are premises where the primary purpose is to provide access for members of the public to the internet. Internet cafés provide a valuable service to the public and contribute to the vitality and viability of high streets. Planning permission is therefore not needed to convert a shop into an internet café, and the Government has no plans to change the Use Classes Order in this regard.Local authorities have a range of tools available to them to plan proactively for the character and future vitality and viability of their high streets and Planning Policy Statement 6: Planning for town centres advises on the scope of some of these. In addition, the Planning White Paper, Planning for a Sustainable Future, published in May 2007, set out proposals to introduce a new impact test which will improve consumer choice and promote competition and which will enable local authorities to better test the likely impact of development proposals outside town centres on town centre shops and services.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

147858; 462 c1432W;462 c1431-2W

Session

2006-07

Subjects

Planning permission Shops

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk