Property Use Classes - Former Public Toilets

dreadhabib

A slightly odd one this - does anyone have any knowledge as to which use class (former) public conveniences fall under as a property? Are they classed as sui generis, or do they fall within class D1, as essentially, community facilities - along with public halls, places of workship etc? Any insight and guidance much appreciated!

paddedjohn

as far as i know they are classed as 'number 2s'

Matt1977

paddedjohn wrote: »

as far as i know they are classed as 'number 2s'

:rotfl:

Hope you don't get too 'bogged down' with the Planning Dept, OP.

ruggedtoast

Why don't you give the council planning department a tinkle?

antrobus

Trying to be actually helpful, there are some 'former Public Conveniences' for sale in Halesworth here; http://www.nps.co.uk/whatwedo/25/propertysearch/135/ where it says;

The unit was previously used as a public convenience which falls under the Sui Generis category in terms of the The Use Class Order. Any prospective purchasers wishing to use the property for the purposes other than a public convenience should consult Waveney District Council Planning Department to discuss their proposals.

Presumably the same would apply to public toilets in general.

Seanymph

They've just sold some at auction in Sheringham, Norfolk - might be worth a google.

dreadhabib

Thanks to the previous two posts - have just had a look into both of those particular properties. Seems to be that they are classed as sui generis in the main - but going to talk to the local authority next week to determine their classification of the block in question.

PasturesNew

There was a set of these for sale in Penzance a few years back... they kept appearing everywhere as they were sold/auctioned/re-sold/etc. Getting the PP change of use wasn't possible/easy.

No idea if it was achieved in the end, but my good friend Mr Google tells me the latest owner/plan is to turn them into a Dental Laboratory. I think most public loos are turned into small businesses/galleries rather than housing.

Edit: Looks like that one was allowed, so long as they started within 3 years.

poppysarah

Some sold in Manchester a few years ago. Don't think they've done anything with them since.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=lightbowne+road+manchester&ll=53.517936,-2.180936&spn=0.008191,0.01929&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&gl=uk&t=h&z=16&layer=c&cbll=53.518367,-2.180175&panoid=-7KBGBVrazmVsdIx3mAUjg&cbp=12,83.4,,0,-3.4


They did try and get permission to turn them into a florist as theres a cemetry just down the road ...

However FC united is hoping to get the fields as their stadium so it might end up having some possible retail use - or even turn it back into loos!

dreadhabib

Thanks for those two insights as well. Interesting to see the variety of uses... there's a couple of other blocks locally which have become hairdressers and a restaurant in recent years. The block in question, like one of the earlier properties highlighted above, has an uplift clause attached which is triggered upon change of use - so I was interested to find out whether such properties belonged to an existing use class, or whether in the case of sui generis - any use other than toilets, even another social or community use, would require change of land use.

geoffky

One near me sold..it is now a dry cleaning and ironing business..