What is Class E Use? Unlocking Commercial Space Potential for Architects & Clients

Class E is a game-changer in UK planning regulations, bringing together several former use classes into one flexible and straightforward category. It covers a wide range of commercial business and service activities, making life easier for developers, landlords, and architects. Getting to grips with what Class E use actually means is crucial when designing adaptable, future-proof commercial spaces.

Introduced in 2020, Class E merges previous categories like offices, food and drink, retail, professional services, and certain health or medical services. This means property owners can easily switch between different uses, for example, turning a retail shop into a gym or a café without the hassle of applying for a fresh planning application, which can be costly and take time to complete.

This flexibility opens up exciting possibilities for architects to create spaces that can evolve with changing market needs. It’s important to note, though, that Class E doesn’t cover residential use or hot food takeaway businesses, which are governed by separate planning rules such as sui generis. Sui generis is a planning term meaning a unique use class that doesn’t fall into any of the standard categories defined by the UK planning system. We will explain everything you need to know about class e use all in this article.

Commercial Business and Service Activities in Class E

Class E commercial business or service uses include:

Display or retail sale of goods
Food and drink for on-site consumption
Professional services (e.g., estate agents, employment agencies)
Financial services such as building societies
Offices and co-working spaces for operational or administrative functions
Indoor sport recreation and fitness not involving motorised vehicles
Medical or health services (e.g., health centres and clinics)
Day nurseries and childcare facilities
Research and development
Light industrial processes that are suitable for a residential area without detriment

This extensive scope supports service class flexibility, enabling multiple uses within the same class and the same use class, reducing delays caused by unnecessary planning permission applications.

Food and Drink Uses vs Hot Food Takeaway

While Class E covers food and drink served on-premises like cafés, coffee shops, restaurants and hot consumable food takeaway businesses fall under sui generis. This distinction is key when planning facilities, as hot takeaway operations may require prior approval or planning permission. For projects involving food, understanding these differences ensures compliance and avoids costly delays when setting up a new food business.

Design Opportunities for Health or Medical Services

Medical and health services, including nurseries or day centres, now fall under Class E when they primarily serve visiting members of the public. This opens up exciting opportunities for mixed-use developments where medical or health services can sit comfortably alongside retail, office, or other appropriate services. However, it’s important to remember that services operating from premises attached to a residence may face certain restrictions under town and country planning regulations, especially when residential use needs to be kept separate. For more information we advise contacting your local planning authority for more information on mixed-use developments in your area.

Light Industrial Processes and Living Near Workspaces

Class E(g)(iii) allows for light industrial activities, think artisan crafts or small-scale manufacturing that can coexist within residential areas without causing any issues. For obvious reasons these uses must avoid creating excessive noise, vibration, smoke, or fumes to maintain neighbourhood harmony.

This blending of commercial business and service functions into our urban communities supports sustainable growth and local economies. As architects, we must carefully consider whether a proposed use fits well within the residential area, not just the specific site, to ensure a positive impact on the surrounding neighbourhood.

Permitted Development Rights Under Class E

Class E properties benefit from permitted development rights, which allow internal changes and some façade alterations without a full planning application. In some cases, these permitted rights extend to converting commercial buildings into residential units, but prior approval is usually required for this. The interplay between Class E and permitted development is crucial when planning for adaptive reuse or mixed use strategies. This isn’t a blanket rule, so knowing what is and isn’t allowed and how to use these rights effectively is key to maximising value while staying compliant with town and country planning regulations.

Strategic Benefits for Class e Commercial Business Design

Class E empowers architects to design flexible, future-ready spaces. Buildings can be tailored to suit several commercial business and service uses over time, from retail warehouses to indoor sport facilities and professional services. As architects we need to design and plan ahead to keep the space adaptable to change across business or service locality needs. For example:

A retail unit becomes a medical clinic
An office transforms into a fitness centre
A service locality includes both a café and professional workspace

This supports community resilience and aligns with sustainability goals by encouraging reuse rather than replace.

Limitations and Special Cases

While Class E is generally quite broad, some activities are excluded, including:

Hot food takeaway and drink principally for off-premises consumption
Activities involving motorised vehicles or firearms
Non residential institutions like state funded schools and hospitals

Some uses like internet cafes, post offices, funeral directors, and pet shops do fall under Class E, but may still require detailed review depending on local authority policies. Historic buildings usually come with slightly more red tape and may need listed building consent, even if the use stays within the same class.

Revitalising High Streets with Use Class E Commercial Designation

Use Class E commercial flexibility is a real advantage for high street regeneration. By cutting down vacancy rates and encouraging mixed-use developments, it creates vibrant, dynamic environments where health clinics, retail shops, and food and drink venues can all thrive side by side. Designers, builders and architects have an exciting opportunity to reimagine these spaces. We focus on how operational or administrative functions flow, how the visual identity supports the community, and how internal adaptability can future-proof designs, the goal is that our projects remain practical, welcoming, and compliant with planning regulations for years to come.

Get Expert Support with Class E Development

Whether you’re working with a retail sale property, day nursery, or medical facility, our architectural team can guide you through Class E strategy. We offer:

Feasibility studies tailored to commercial business or service goals
Planning advice on permitted development and prior approval
Designs that balance visual impact with flexibility across service locality needs

We work closely with local authorities to ensure compliance across all relevant use classes and planning regulations.

Conclusion: Embracing the Future of Commercial Spaces with Class E

Class E is truly transforming how we approach commercial property development in the UK. By allowing different uses within the same class without the need for extra planning permission, it opens the door to creativity, innovation, and smarter use of space. The challenge for architects and developers is to design spaces that are flexible, sustainable, and genuinely beneficial to the communities they serve. Class E gives us a solid foundation to create adaptable, long-lasting developments that can evolve with changing needs. If you’re curious about how Class E can unlock the potential of your commercial space, get in touch. Let’s explore the possibilities together.