Updates in Rural Class Q Planning 2024

Key Changes

•         An increase in floorspace for development from 5000sqft to 10,000sqft
•         An increase in the number of dwellings from 5 to 10 (on a single agricultural holding)
•         A reduction in the floorspace of individual dwellings to a maximum of 1600sqft, previously 5000sqft
•         Up to 4m single storey extension to the rear onto a hard standing that was present on of before 24^th July 2023/ or existed for 10            years
•         Reasonable changes to the exterior may now protrude up to 0.2m
•         Must now meet national space standards
•         Must now have suitable existing access to a public highway
•         Buildings now only need to have been in agricultural use on or before 24^th July 2023 (previously March 2013) or if not in ag use not          used for any non-ag purposes since that date. Alternatively, a rolling 10 years must have passed. Note: if the barn was granted                under PD rights it needs to exist for 10 years before converting under class Q
•         Buildings that are located on a ‘agricultural unit’, there is now potential to convert equestrian, commercial storage or mixed use              buildings within agricultural units.
•         External walls can now be installed. Previously barns what were open to the elements were not suitable

Existing restrictions that remain in place;

•           Not within an AONBs (Now called National Landscapes), conservation areas or National Parks.
•           Not within the curtilage of a listed building
•           Not within SSSI
•           Building must have a solid or engineered concrete floor
•           The existing building must already be capable of functioning as a dwelling (capable of conversion)

Until 20^th May 2025 you may apply for any developments which would have been compliant under the old rules.