In a class of its own
Sui Generis is a Latin word meaning ‘of its own kind’. Effectively this is a range of different uses that don’t naturally fall within any particular use class.
Such uses include betting offices, payday loan shops, theatres, larger houses in multiple occupation, petrol filling stations, car showrooms, nightclubs, launderettes, casinos and taxi companies among others. Use class Sui Generis does not mean that it would automatically benefit from permitted development rights to change a use to an alternative use.
Careful consideration and relevant advice needs in relation to the concept of Sui Generis planning as a use class.
As a result, specific uses that fell into either A or D uses now become Sui Generis including:
Use Class A4 (Drinking Establishments), including those with expanded food provision
A5 (Hot Food Takeaways) for the sale of hot food where consumption of that food is mostly undertaken off the premises
as well as part of the D2 Use Class (Cinemas, concert halls, bingo halls, live music venues and dance halls)
Live/work units can be sometimes be considered to be Sui Generis but this will depend upon many factors including whether one use is subservient to the main use.
There is an alternative argument that such as use is actually part B1 part C3. We have been involved with detailed discussions over this particular aspect and it is suggested that each LPA would have a different view.
To what extent such a live-work unit affects or sit with local policies including housing land supply, employment policies, sustainability will require a detailed review.
At Plande, we can provide a full range of services to assist with your project, whether for a new build, conversion or extension to an existing building or redevelopment of a site.
We can provide a full planning consultancy service including developing feasibility studies, development appraisals, planning strategy, full or outline planning applications, deal with any planning appeal and write supporting planning statement or design and access statements.
The following are a sample of interesting or challenging projects.
Disclaimer: This page provides an introduction only and is not a definitive statement of the law and should therefore not be relied upon. The information above relates to England only. Policies across the rest of the UK may differ. Contact your Local Planning Authority for advice and confirmation before any works are carried out. All images used are for illustrative purposes only. Read the full disclaimer here.
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