Opening a Shop in the UK: You May Not Need Planning Permission — It Depends on Use Class

In England, many commercial uses are grouped under a single category known as Class E. This includes offices, retail shops, and most cafés and restaurants where food and drink are consumed on the premises. In practical terms, this means that if you are converting an office into a café or a retail unit, and both fall within Class E, the change may be treated as “not development” in planning terms. As a result, planning permission may not be required.

This principle is established under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, supported by the government’s Planning Practice Guidance. It allows greater flexibility for changes within the same use class, and is one of the key reasons why many vacant office spaces in city centres are now being successfully repurposed into active commercial and food-and-drink venues, with fewer planning hurdles than before.

However, there are two important points that are often overlooked.

Firstly, even if a change of use does not require planning permission, any external or physical alterations to the building will usually still constitute development. This includes works such as installing a new shopfront, creating new entrances, adding extraction systems (flues), installing louvres, or accommodating plant equipment. In many cases, particularly for cafés and restaurants, the extraction system alone can trigger the need for a full planning application.

Secondly, not all food and drink uses fall within Class E. Uses such as bars, pubs, and hot food takeaways are classified as sui generis (in a class of their own) and are not covered by Class E. Converting an office into one of these uses will typically require planning permission, regardless of the existing use.

In practice, one of the most common misconceptions we encounter is the assumption that having a Class E unit automatically means any business can operate within it. In reality, the viability of a space depends on the overall proposal — including design, building services, external alterations, and operational impacts. More often than not, constraints arise not from the use class itself, but from issues such as ventilation, façade changes, or potential impacts on neighbouring occupiers, including noise and odour.

Therefore, when planning to open a commercial unit in the UK, the key consideration is not simply whether planning permission is required, but whether the space can realistically and compliantly support your intended operation from the outset. This involves early coordination of building regulations, licensing requirements, and neighbour amenity considerations.

In short, a space may be legally capable of changing use, but that does not necessarily mean it is practically suitable for your business.

If you are considering converting an office into a café or retail unit and are unsure about the planning requirements or feasibility, feel free to get in touch — we would be happy to advise.