Commercial Unit planning/use question - Equus or anyone?

[alpertonian]

Our family own a small commercial unit which we have rented to tenants for the last three years .
We're in the process of getting new tenants which has raised a question

When it was first built in mid 80s it was B1 use
In 2011 (before we bought it) an application was approved to make it Sui Generis (taxi business), and we do believe it was used as a taxi business for a very short period.

I'm reading conflicting info on line. Can we change it back from Sui Generis to B1 under permitted development, as none of the "material changes" listed apply?

The planning office not being very helpful at the moment, whereas they have been very approachable pre covid.

Any advice welcome. I always try and pass advice onto others to pass on the favour!

[Keep it stiff]

What activity are you expecting to put in there and is it an activity that you will control/own or will it be a tenant?

[Equus]

alpertonian said:

...none of the "material changes" listed apply?

I'm not sure what you're trying to say by this part of your post, but the only Permitted Development Changes of Use on Suis Generis land uses are those listed on THIS link.

My immediate response would therefore be that if the approval for change of use to Suis Generis (taxi business) was implemented (ie. that the CoU did in fact take place), then you'll need Planning Permission to change it back to anything else - albeit that should be quite straightforward, if it's a change of use back to something that it existed as before.

No harm in confirming that directly with your LPA, though - there have been so many changes to PD rights under the current Government, that frankly most of us are now as confused and clueless as Boris himself (which, thinking about it, may well be his intention... if you can't organise a piss up in a brewery, befuddle everyone else to the point where they can't either, and you don't look quite such a tt?).

Edited by Equus on Tuesday 2nd February 21:29

[alpertonian]

Keep it stiff said:

What activity are you expecting to put in there and is it an activity that you will control/own or will it be a tenant?

It would be the tenant's activity (not known at present, but we're lucky to have a lot of interest) .Just wanted to know the correct course of action

[alpertonian]

Equus said:

alpertonian said:

Our family own a small commercial unit which we have rented to tenants for the last three years .
We're in the process of getting new tenants which has raised a question

When it was first built in mid 80s it was B1 use
In 2011 (before we bought it) an application was approved to make it Sui Generis (taxi business), and we do believe it was used as a taxi business for a very short period.

I'm reading conflicting info on line. Can we change it back from Sui Generis to B1 under permitted development, as none of the "material changes" listed apply?

The planning office not being very helpful at the moment, whereas they have been very approachable pre covid.

Any advice welcome. I always try and pass advice onto others to pass on the favour!

I'm not sure what you're trying to say by this part of your post, but the only Permitted Development Changes of Use on Suis Generis land uses are those listed on THIS link.

My immediate response would therefore be that if the approval for change of use to Suis Generis (taxi business) was implemented (ie. that the CoU did in fact take place), then you'll need Planning Permission to change it back to anything else - albeit that should be quite straightforward, if it's a change of use back to something that it existed as before.

No harm in confirming that directly with your LPA, though - there have been so many changes to PD rights under the current Government, that frankly most of us are now as confused and clueless as Boris himself (which, thinking about it, may well be his intention... if you can't organise a piss up in a brewery, befuddle everyone else to the point where they can't either, and you don't look quite such a tt?).

Many thanks for answering and thanks for the link.
I can see now there is no permitted development from a taxi business to ANY other use.
We know that CoU did take place, and I've been able to prove that since posting the question. As you have confirmed, it looks like it will need PP to change it back to whatever the new tenant requires. As you say, should be easy as its a retrospective change to something "less unusual"

We've only owned the unit 3 years but for the last 8 years, it has been occupied by two other business, neither of which have been taxi based!

Thank you again Equus for taking the time to answer.

Edited by alpertonian on Tuesday 2nd February 20:37