If you are buying, selling or letting a commercial property in England, one detail decides what the building can legally be used for: its use class. Getting it wrong can mean a long planning application — or a building you cannot use the way you planned. This guide explains the three classes Glanix Commercials works with every day: E, F1 and F2.

What are use classes?

Use classes are set by the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order. In September 2020 the system in England was reformed, and many common town-centre uses were grouped together into the new Class E. Older listings and documents may still mention the old classes (A1, B1, D1, D2), so it helps to know how they map to the current system.

Class E — commercial, business and service

Class E covers shops, offices, restaurants and cafés, financial and professional services, medical and health services such as clinics, gyms and indoor sports, and day nurseries. Its big advantage is flexibility: moving between uses within Class E generally does not require planning permission, because it is not treated as a change of use. Leases, planning conditions and listed-building status can still restrict changes, so always check the paperwork as well.

Class F1 — learning and non-residential institutions

Class F1 covers schools and other education uses, places of worship, libraries, museums, public and exhibition halls, and law courts. Unlike Class E, moving a building into or out of F1 normally requires planning permission, which is why an existing lawful F1 use is valuable — and why faith groups and schools plan their searches carefully.

Class F2 — local community

Class F2 covers small shops of no more than 280 sq m selling mostly essential goods (including food) where there is no similar shop within 1 km, community halls and meeting places, outdoor sport and recreation areas, and swimming pools and skating rinks.

Why the use class matters before you buy

The use class affects a property’s value, the pool of buyers or tenants who can use it, and the time and cost of any change of use. Before committing, confirm the building’s lawful use with the local planning authority and take advice from your solicitor. Our Property Use Classes Guide has the full class-by-class breakdown.

Talk to a specialist

Glanix Commercials specialises in F1, F2 and E-class property — places of worship, nurseries, education, medical and leisure buildings across London, Essex and Kent. Browse our current property listings or contact us if you are buying, selling or letting.

This article is general information only and is not legal or planning advice.