The document on this page provides a quick reference guide for "The Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987" (as amended). This document incorporates the Use Classes from the "Use Classes Order 1987 (Consolidated)" document and the permitted changes of use and temporary uses from Parts 3 and 4 of the "GPDO 2015 (Consolidated)" document.
Document:
- Use Classes Order 1987 - Quick Reference Guide
(PDF document, opens in a new window).
Note: For a 31/08/2020 version (UCO 1987) + 31/07/2021 version (GPDO 2015) of the above document, please view below at the end of this page.
Screenshots for the above document:
Statistics for the above document:
- Last updated: December 2023 (note: checked for updates on a monthly basis)
- Based upon the Use Classes Order 1987 (Consolidated) document, which incorporates 19 SIs.
- Based upon the GPDO 2015 (Consolidated) document, which incorporates 31 SIs.
Notes:
- For the definitions of the Use Classes, the above document aims to remain as close as possible to the wording of the legislation (rather than paraphrasing this wording), and where parts of this wording have been omitted (for reasons of conciseness) this is indicated via the use of "...".
- For the permitted changes of use and temporary uses, it’s important to always check the legislation (e.g. via the links within the above document), as many of the Classes of the GPDO 2015 contain limitations and conditions that exclude certain types of buildings, or set out various other restrictions, or require an application for prior approval (or similar) to be submitted to the local authority, etc.
How is the above document different from the other versions available online:
- The above document is more up-to-date than many of the other versions of the Use Classes Order 1987 that are available online. For example, a review on 25/03/2013 of the first 10 versions that resulted from a search on Google for "Use Classes Order" found the following:
- 40% of these other versions had not been updated with Use Class C4 (introduced 3 years earlier in April 2010 by SI 2010 No. 653).
- 70% of these other versions had not been updated with the permitted change of use from C3 to C4 (introduced 2 1/2 years earlier in October 2010 by SI 2010 No. 2134).
- 90% of these other versions had not been updated with the permitted change of use from A1 to A1 & up to 2 flats (introduced 6 months earlier in October 2012 by SI 2012 No. 2257). - The above document contains more references than many of the other versions of the Use Classes Order 1987 that are available online. For example, for each sentence in the Use Classes Order 1987 that has been amended since the original version, the above document provides a link to the amendment Statutory Instrument, enabling the user to view the actual legislation.
- The above document includes a flowchart that illustrates the interactions between the Use Classes - i.e. showing the permitted changes of use and temporary uses from Parts 3 and 4 of the GPDO 2015 (as amended).
- The above document also includes a diagram showing how to match up the 31/08/2020 Use Classes and the CURRENT Use Classes.
EXTRACT showing the interactions dated May 2010 versus the interactions dated May 2015:
- Use Classes Order 1987 - Quick Reference Guide - EXTRACT showing the interactions dated May 2010 versus the interactions dated May 2015
(PDF document, opens in a new window).
Screenshots for the above extract:
EXTRACT showing the interactions dated May 2010 versus the interactions dated May 2020:
- Use Classes Order 1987 - Quick Reference Guide - EXTRACT showing the interactions dated May 2010 versus the interactions dated May 2020
(PDF document, opens in a new window).
Screenshots for the above extract:
Updates:
- To view a list of updates relating to this page, please view the following category:
>>> "Category: Legislation - Use Classes Order 1987 - Quick Reference Guide".
31/08/2020 version (UCO 1987) + 31/07/2021 version (GPDO 2015) version of the above document:
- Use Classes Order 1987 - Quick Reference Guide (31/08/2020 version of the UCO 1987 and 31/07/2021 version of the GPDO 2015)
(PDF document, opens in a new window).