Change of use from Class E (commercial, business and service uses) to C3 (dwellinghouses)

A non-immediate Article 4 Direction has been confirmed removing permitted development rights regarding the change of use from class E use (commercial, business and service uses) to C3 use (dwellinghouses). The Direction originally applied to the sites shown on the Schedule of Maps in the Article 4 Direction, but this was subsequently modified by the Secretary of State, and as a result the Direction is restricted to a smaller area. The effect of the Direction means that a change of use from a town centre use to residential in the modified locations will require planning permission and will be assessed against our Local Plan planning policies.

Original Article 4 Direction (superseded)

Sites to which the Direction applied (superseded)

Modification of the Article 4 Direction by the Secretary of State

The Article 4 Direction, as modified, covers 60 areas across the borough where the main concentrations of commercial and business uses are located. They include areas within the Central Activities Zone, and centres and parades of all sizes. The Article 4 Direction also continues to include key business areas including parts of strategic and locally important industrial sites and other protected employment sites.

The following maps show the spatial distribution and areas affected by the Article 4 Direction, as modified by the Secretary of State:

View a copy of the letter from the Secretary of State.

The modified Article 4 Direction came into force on 29 July 2022.