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Class E to Residential Article 4 Directions

Consultation on Islington Council's proposal to keep planning permission rights for four specific areas in the borough where landowners might seek change of use from Class E to residential.

This consultation has ended

Start date 23 September 2022
End date 04 November 2022

Permitted Development

Permitted development rights allow certain types of building work or changes of use without the need for planning permission.

In April 2021, the Government amended Permitted Development Rights to add a new category: change of use from Class E “business, commercial and service use” to residential (Class C3).

Class E includes shops, restaurants, estate agents, offices, museums and indoor sports facilities.

Following the amendment, change of use from Class E to residential can be carried out without the need for planning permission. Instead, you need prior approval before carrying out works.

About the proposal

To retain the right to require permission in certain areas of the borough, Islington Council has made four non-immediate Article 4 Directions to withdraw this permitted development right. Under these Directions, landowners seeking change of use from Class E to residential will still need to make an application for full planning permission rather than using the prior approval process.

Any proposals will then need to be considered against relevant planning policies.

The Directions cover sites in four areas and can be found at the links below with a high-resolution map of each:

How to comment

The council is consulting on these Directions from 23 September 2022 until 4 November 2022 (six weeks) and would like to hear your views.

You can view the Directions and a copy of the maps defining the related areas in the links above. Download the public notification about the Directions here. The directions and notice can also be viewed at Islington Town Hall, Upper Street, N1 2UD, 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday.

Representations can be made:

When deciding whether or not to confirm the four Directions, the council will take into consideration all representations received during the consultation period.

Subject to confirmation, the Directions will come into force on 31 August 2023. 

The council’s delegated report is available on our Democracy site.

Public comments and privacy

  • Please note that comments will be made publicly available.
  • We will remove names and personal contact information.
  • Responses will be retained on LBI servers for a period of 2 years.
  • For more information on the basis on which we process, use and store your information, please refer to our privacy policy.
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