Shelley Sandzer: Changing Use Classes is a game changer on one hand. But on the other…

On the face of it, the amendment to the Town & Country Town Planning Act, Use Classes 2020, is a very positive step by the government. A radical overhaul of an outdated system possibly. It will group all forms of retail, business and service based premises in one category, seemingly making the system simpler and permitting movement between the use class without needing planning consent. This business category does exclude the more contentious uses such as pubs, clubs and fast food takeaways, moving them into a sui generis use class.