Warehouses and industrial buildings

Overview

The Adopted City Plan Part One lists and safeguards a range of industrial estates and premises see policy CP3 Employment Land [PDF, 54kb].

The Employment Land Study 2012 indicates a forecast demand for industrial and warehouse floorspace (Use Class B1(c), B2 and B8) in the city to 2030.

A number of sites have been identified for new warehouse and industrial buildings see the strategic allocations in the Adopted City Plan Part One [PDF, 9MB].

The council also applies a managed approach to the loss of unallocated warehouse and industrial land and buildings.

Policies

The following policies may apply which set the criteria and the information required to assess whether these sites can be released to alternative uses:

Adopted City Plan Part One (2016)

Adopted Brighton & Hove Local Plan (2005)

Permitted development rights – warehouse and industrial buildings

Under government legislation that came into effect in England on 6 April 2010, the erection, extension or alteration of an industrial building or warehouse is considered to be permitted development, not requiring an application for planning permission, subject to certain limits and conditions and these are explained in the government’s planning portal.

Change of use

Permitted development rights have been introduced by the government to allow the change of use of existing storage and distribution centres and any land within its curtilage to residential use (use Class C3). This is subject to limitations and conditions including the prior approval of the council in respect of certain matters.

A new temporary permitted development right for the change of use of buildings in light industrial use to dwelling houses has also been introduced (6 April 2016), subject to limitations and conditions including the prior approval of the local planning authority in respect of certain matters. However this permitted development right does not take effect until 1 October 2017.

Further information is set out on the Planning Portal.

Special cases

Even if your development seems to be permitted by these rules, it's still important to contact the council’s Development Control team to check that the building or land has not had its permitted development rights removed or limited for some reason. In some cases, there will be special conditions attached to previous development that can restrict these rights.

Brighton & Hove also has Article 4 Directions which limit the scope of permitted development rights in these areas of the city.