Use Class and PD Reform

New regulations have been introduced to reform and simplify the Use Classes Order.

These include:

a new broad category of ‘commercial, business and service’ uses which will allow commercial, retail and leisure uses greater freedom to adapt to changing circumstances and respond to local needs
a new community and learning class to allow for the protection of community facilities and infrastructure.

See https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2020/757/made

The range of PD rights is also extended to include:

the right to extend purpose-built freestanding blocks of flats of three storeys or more by adding by up to 2 additional storeys to create new homes, up to a height of 30m
the right to extend up to 2 additional storeys on existing houses, detached or in a terrace, to create new self-contained homes or additional living space up to a height of 18 metres. [Single storey homes will be able to add 1 additional storey.]
the right to demolish vacant and redundant free-standing commercial and light industrial premises, and residential blocks of flank replace them with new residential units.[Subject to height restrictions].

NDP Groups will need to ensure that their proposed policies do not pointlessly seek to control these new uses and rights.