Capston Use Class C3b planning consultant BournemouthBournemouth Borough Council: Pure Town Planning are pleased to announce that, working with Design & Development Associates Ltd, we have recently secured a Lawful Development Certificate confirming a proposed change of use from a C4 Dwellinghouse (House of Multiple Occupation) to a C3 (b) dwellinghouse. A C3 (b) Use for those who are not aware, is where up to six people live together as a single household (i.e. this is their main residence) and receive some form of care.

Our client was a charity who specialised in providing in house care. They came to us with a prospective property, which was currently used as a C4 Dwellinghouse, which they wanted to use for their charity. Here at Pure Town Planning we pride ourselves on our technical knowledge of the planning system, so carefully looking at the Use Class Order 1987 (as amended), we determined that the proposed use would be C3 (b) not a C2  Use (Residential Institutions). Therefore, this meant that this proposal would be allowed under permitted development to change the use to C3 Use by Part 3 Class L of the General Permitted Development Order 1995 (as amended).

As this application was for a charity to secure the necessary funding, it was essential that a Certificate of Lawfulness for a Proposed Use be submitted to demonstrate that the permitted change of use was lawful. Pure Town Planning produced a comprehensive statement showing why this proposed use should be considered C3 (b) and thus a permitted change of use.

Lawful Development Certificates are a very useful planning tool which can confirm that what you are proposing is lawful and does not require a planning application. These are particularly useful to have if you ever decide to sell on the property and/or business to show that your building work and/or change of use is lawful.

So if you are proposing a change of use or small building works to a residential dwelling why not give Pure Town Planning a call for a free 30-minute consultation to see if a full planning application is required or whether it is better to confirm the proposed development actually falls under your permitted development rights through a Lawful Development Certificate.