Property and land use classes in Scotland under the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) (Scotland) Order 1997 (amended) including common permitted changes of use. Local restrictions and planning applications may apply.
A material change of use requires planning permission in most circumstances. Where a proposed activity involves more than one use class it is considered mixed-use and will most likely require planning permission.
| USE CLASS | DESCRIPTION | PERMITTED CHANGE |
| Class 1A Shops and financial, professional and other services |
Retail sale of goods other than hot food Post office Sale of tickets Travel agency Cold food takeaway Hairdresser Funeral director Display of goods for sale Hiring of domestic or personal goods Laundrette/dry cleaners Reception of goods for cleaning/repair Financial services such as banks and building societies Professional services such as estate and employment agencies Other services appropriate in a shopping area |
Permitted change to class 3 and small-scale class 4 subject to size and location restrictions. |
| Sui generis | Car showroom Taxi or vehicle hire business |
Permitted change to class 1A and 4. |
| Class 3 Food and drink |
Cafes, restaurants, sale of food or drink for consumption on the premises | Permitted change to class 1A and small-scale class 4 subject to size and location restrictions. |
| Sui generis | Public houses Hot food takeaways |
No permitted change. Permitted change to class 1A, 3 and 4. |
| Class 4 Business |
Offices not within class 1A Research and development Light industry |
Permitted change to class 6 up to 235 sq m. |
| Class 5 General industry |
Industrial processes not within class 4 such as heavy industry, vehicle repair, car wash | Permitted change to class 4. Permitted change to class 6 up to 235 sq m. |
| Class 6 Storage or distribution |
Storage or distribution such as self-storage units, storage warehouse, parcel distribution depot | Permitted change to class 4. |
| Class 7 Hotels and hostels |
Hotels, boarding houses, guest houses, hostels where no significant element of care is provided | No permitted change. |
| Class 8 Residential institutions |
Provision of residential accommodation and care outwith class 9 Hospital, nursing home Residential school, college, training centre |
No permitted change. |
| Class 9 Houses |
House occupied by a single person, or a number living together as a family House occupied by five residents or less Limited use as bed and breakfast or guesthouse where at any one time not more than two bedrooms (one bedroom in premises of less than four bedrooms) are used by guests |
No permitted change. |
| Sui generis | Flats Student accommodation |
No permitted change. |
| Class 10 Non-residential institutions |
Crèches, day nurseries, day centres Schools and colleges Art galleries, museums, exhibition halls, public libraries Places for social activities of a religious body |
No permitted change. |
| Class 11 Assembly and leisure |
Cinema Concert hall Bingo hall, casino Dance hall, discotheque Skating rink, swimming baths and gymnasium |
No permitted change. |
| Sui generis | Theatre Amusement centre Places for motor vehicle recreation or firearm sport |
No permitted change. |
