If you’re changing the use of a building or land, you might need planning permission, especially if it involves moving between different use classes. Some changes, like moving from Class 3 to Class 1A, don’t require permission. If the change is within the same use class, no permission is needed.
For more details, check the relevant section below. If you need to apply for planning permission, you can do so online via the Scottish Government website.
Please note, that we can’t advise on your property’s class unless there’s a previous application that changed the use. You can search for previous applications on our online Planning system or you can check the current status on the Scottish Assessors Association website. If needed, a Property History Search can be carried out.
Class 1A
1. Use:
a. for the retail sale of goods other than hot food;
b. as a post office;
c. for the sale of tickets;
d. as a travel agency;
e. for the sale of cold food for consumption off the premises;
f. for hairdressing;
g. for the direction of funerals
h. for the display of goods for sale;
i. for the hiring out of domestic or personal goods or articles;
j. as a launderette or dry cleaner; or
k. for the reception of goods to be washed, cleaned or repaired; where the sale, displays or service is principally to visiting members of the public
2. Use for the provision of:
a.financial services;
b.professional services; or
c.any other services (excluding use as a payday loan/betting office) Which it is appropriate to provide in a shopping area and where the sale, display or service is principally to visiting members of the public
Change permitted
Change to Class 3 permitted unless it would result in the change of use of a building unit situated below any part of a dwelling, or it would result in the change of use of a building or a building unit which is within 1 metre (without taking account of any communal access) of a dwelling.
Change to Class 4 is permitted, only if the building or building unit is 300sqm or less.
Planning permission is required for change of use to any other class.
Back To TopClass 3
Use Description
Use for the sale of food or drink for consumption on the premises
e.g. cafes, restaurants, snack bars
Change Permitted
Change to Class 1A permitted.
Planning permission is required for change of use to any other class.
Class 4
Use Description
a. as an office, other than a use within class 2 (financial, professional and other services);
b. for research and development of products or processes; or
c. for any industrial process; being a use which can be carried on in any residential area without detriment to the amenity of that area by reason of noise, vibration, smell, fumes, smoke, soot, ash, dust or grit
Change Permitted
Change of use to Class 6 (up to 235sqm of floor space only)
Planning permission is required for change of use to any other class.
Class 5
Use Description
Use for the carrying on of an industrial process other than one falling within class 4 (business)
Change Permitted
Change of use permitted to Class 6 (up to 235sqm of floor space only) or to Class 4
Planning permission is required for change of use to any other class.
Class 6
Use Description
Use for storage or as a distribution centre
Change Permitted
Change to Class 4 permitted
Planning permission required for change of use to any other class
Class 7
Use Description
Use as a hotel, boarding house, guest house, or hostel where no significant element of care is provided, other than premises where alcohol (within the meaning given by section 2 of the Licensing Scotland Act 2005) is sold, pursuant to a premises licence issued under that Act to persons other than residents or to persons other than persons consuming meals on the premises and other than a use within class 9 (houses).
Change Permitted
Planning permission is required for change of use to any other class
Back To TopClass 8
Use Description
a. for the provision of residential accommodation and care to people in need of care other than a use within class 9 (houses);
b. as a hospital or nursing home; or
c. as a residential school, college or training centre
Change Permitted
Planning permission is required for change of use to any other class
Back To TopClass 8A
Use for the provision of secure residential accommodation, including use as:
a. a prison,
b. young offenders’ institution,
c. detention centre,
d. secure training centre,
e. custody centre,
f. short-term holding centre,
g. secure hospital,
h. secure local authority accommodation or
i. use as military barracks
Change Permitted
Planning permission is required for change of use to any other class.
Back To TopClass 9
Use Description
a. as a house, other than a flat, whether or not as a sole or main residence, by:
i. a single person or by people living together as a family, or
ii. not more than 5 residents living together including a household where care is provided for residents;
b. as a bed and breakfast establishment or guesthouse, not in either case being carried out in a flat where at any one time not more than 2 bedrooms are, or in the case of premises having less than 4 bedrooms 1 bedroom is, used for that purpose.
Change Permitted
Planning permission is required for change of use to any other class.
Back To TopClass 10
Use, not including residential use:
a. as a crèche, day nursery or day centre;
b. for the provision of education;
c. for the display of works of art (otherwise than for sale or hire);
d. as a museum;
e. as a public library or public reading room;
f. as a public hall or exhibition hall; or
g. for, or in connection with, public worship or religious instruction, or the social or recreational activities of a religious body; or
h. as a law court.
Change Permitted
Planning permission is required for change of use to any other class
Back To TopClass 11
Use Description
a. a cinema;
b. a concert hall;
c. a bingo hall or casino;
d. a dance hall or discotheque; or
e. a swimming bath, skating rink, gymnasium or area for other indoor or outdoor sports or recreation, not involving motorised vehicles or firearms
Change Permitted
Planning permission is required for change of use to any other class.
Back To TopSui Generis
Sui Generis means that the use is a class of its own, planning permission will in most cases be required to change to a Sui Generis Class or from Sui Generis to another class use.
Use as an amusement arcade or centre or funfair
Planning permission required for change of use to any other class.
Use as a theatre
Planning permission required for change of use to any other class.
Use for the sale of fuel for motor vehicles
Planning permission required for change of use to any other class.
Use for the sale or display for the sale of motor vehicles
Change of use to Class 1A permitted, only of a building whose total floor area does not exceed 235sqm. Otherwise, planning permission required for change of use to or from this use.
Use for a taxi business or for the hire of motor vehicles
Planning permission required for change of use to any other class.
Use as a scrap yard or yard for the breaking of motor vehicles
Planning permission required for change of use to any other class.
Use for the storage or distribution of minerals
Planning permission required for change of use to any other class.
Use as a public house
Planning permission required for change of use to any other class.
Use for any work registerable under the Alkali etc. Works Regulations Act 1906
Planning permission required for change of use to any other class.
Use as a waste disposal installation for incineration, chemical treatment (as defined in Annex IIA to Directive 75/442/EEC under heading D9), or landfill of waste to which Directive 91/689/EEC applies.
Planning permission required for change of use to any other class.
Use as a betting office
Change to Class 1A permitted.
Change to Class 3 permitted, unless it would result in the change of use of a building unit situated below any part of a dwelling, or it would result in the change of use of a building or a building unit which is within 1 metre (without taking account of any communal access) of a dwelling.
Change to Class 4 permitted, if the building or building unit is 300sqm or less.
Otherwise, planning permission required for change of use to any other class.
Use as a pay day loan shop
Change to Class 1A permitted.
Change to Class 3 permitted, unless it would result in the change of use of a building unit situated below any part of a dwelling, or it would result in the change of use of a building or a building unit which is within 1 metre (without taking account of any communal access) of a dwelling.
Change to Class 4 permitted, if the building or building unit is 300sqm or less.
Otherwise, planning permission required for change of use to any other class.
Use for the sale of hot food for consumption off the premises
e.g. pizza shops, takeaways, kebab shops, fish and chip shops
Change to Class 1 and 2 permitted. Planning permission required for change of use to any other class.
Use as a residential flat
Planning permission required for change of use to any other class.
Interpretation
In this document the following expressions have the meanings assigned to them:
- Care - personal care including the provision of appropriate help with physical and social needs or support; and in class 8 (residential institutions) includes medical care and treatment.
- Day Centre - non-residential premises which are used for social purposes, recreation, rehabilitation or occupational training and at which care is also provided
- Industrial Process - a process, other than a process carried out in or adjacent to, a mine or quarry, for or incidental to: the making of any article or part of any article including a ship or vessel or a film, video or sound recording; the altering, repairing, maintaining, ornamenting, finishing, cleaning, washing, packing, canning, adapting for sale, breaking up or demolition of any article; or the getting, dressing or treatment of minerals in the course of any use other than agriculture.
- Support - counselling or other help provided as part of a planned programme of care.
