Whether planning permission is required for the merger of shop units depends on what work is proposed to be carried out. Unless a change of use is involved, planning permission will not usually be required if the merger involves only internal works. However, where works would affect the external appearance of a building, planning permission is likely to be required. Where planning permission is needed, local planning authorities can already prevent the merger of shop units through imposing planning conditions in the context of their planning strategy for their town centres. “Planning Policy Statement 6: Planning for town centres” (PPS6) gives further advice on the effective use of planning conditions to ensure that the character of a development cannot subsequently be changed to create a form of development that a local authority would originally have refused.
We have no plans to change the current requirements.
The Government have already made a number of positive changes to the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987 (as amended). Planning permission is now needed to convert a shop under Class Al: “Shops” into a coffee shop under Class A3: “Restaurants and Cafés”. This class was designed specifically for businesses where the primary purpose is the sale and consumption of food and light refreshments on the premises. The Use Classes Order also allows Class A3 uses to change to Class Al uses without planning permission.
In 2005 the Government changed the Use Classes Order to expand Use Class Al to include internet cafés which are premises where the primary purpose is to provide access for members of the public to the internet. Internet cafés provide a valuable service to the public and contribute to the vitality and viability of high streets. Planning permission is therefore not needed to convert a shop into an internet café, and the Government has no plans to change the Use Classes Order in this regard.
Local authorities have a range of tools available to them to plan proactively for the character and future vitality and viability of their high streets and Planning Policy Statement 6: Planning for town centres advises on the scope of some of these. In addition, the Planning White Paper, Planning for a Sustainable Future, published in May 2007, set out proposals to introduce a new impact test which will improve consumer choice and promote competition and which will enable local authorities to better test the likely impact of development proposals outside town centres on town centre shops and services.