ASH
Planning Explained: Agricultural Permitted Development Rights – What Can You Do on Your Farm?
Running a farm often means adapting buildings, improving access, installing new equipment, and making changes to keep the business working efficiently. Fortunately, national planning legislation provides specific permitted development rights for agricultural businesses, set out in Part 6 of Schedule 2 of the General Permitted Development Order (GPDO).
Unit Size Dictates Your Rights
To qualify for Part 6 rights, proposed developments must be reasonably necessary for the purposes of agriculture within that unit. Your total holding size determines which class applies:
Class A: Holdings of 5 Hectares or More
Provides the widest rights, permitting the erection of new agricultural buildings, extensions/alterations, and significant engineering operations (such as excavations or large machinery stores).
Class B: Holdings Between 0.4 and 5 Hectares
Does not permit new agricultural buildings, but allows extensions/alterations to existing buildings, installation of plant/machinery, private ways, and hardstanding.
Key Limits & Conditions
- ✓ Building Limits (Class A): Ground area for new, extended, or altered buildings must not exceed 1,500 sq m. Structures for livestock or engineering plant/machinery are capped at 1,000 sq m. Max height is 12m (or 3m within 3km of an aerodrome). Must not sit within 25m of a trunk/classified road.
- ✓ Extension Limits (Class B): Cubic content cannot increase by more than 25% of the original building, and total ground area must stay within 1,250 sq m. Building height cannot be increased, and works must stay at least 5m from holding boundaries.
- ✓ Farm Tracks & Highway Access: Class A and B allow private ways and hardstanding reasonably needed for farming. Under Part 2 Class B, new accesses onto unclassified roads may be permitted if required for a permitted development scheme (though highways authority requirements still apply).
Converting Agricultural Buildings
Separate permitted development rights allow qualifying farm buildings to be converted for commercial or residential diversification:
🏢 Class R – Flexible Commercial Uses
Allows agricultural buildings to change to commercial uses including general industrial (B2), storage/distribution (B8), hotels (C1), commercial/service (Class E), outdoor sport/recreation (F.2(c)), or agricultural training. Subject to a cumulative limit of 1,000 sq m and prior approval triggers.
🏡 Class Q – Residential Conversions
Allows redundant agricultural buildings to convert into residential dwellings (up to 10 homes with a cumulative max floor space of 1,000 sq m). Structural suitability, site history, and location are key factors evaluated during prior approval.
Why is it important to check before starting work?
Agricultural permitted development rights can offer real opportunities to improve buildings, make better use of land, and support the future of a farming business. However, the rules are detailed, and there is no one-size-fits-all answer.
The size of your agricultural unit, the site planning history, the precise purpose of the development, its location, and any relevant restrictions can all affect whether a permitted development right is available.
A project that appears straightforward on paper may need a little investigation before work begins to avoid issues with listed building consent, environmental rules, building regulations, or highways.
🤝 Need a Little Help Navigating the Planning System?
We understand that running a farm is a full-time job, and the last thing you need is the added stress of trying to navigate complicated planning legislation.
If you’re unsure whether something you’re planning to do needs permission, or you’re simply exploring what opportunities might be available to you, we’re here to help. You can contact your local planning authority for advice, or get in touch with us as planning consultants. We’re always happy to talk through your proposals, explain the permitted development rights that may apply, and help establish whether planning permission, prior approval, or another consent is required.
No question is too big or too small, and you don’t need to have all the answers before getting in touch. Sometimes a quick conversation at the beginning can save a considerable amount of time, expense, and frustration further down the line.
Our aim is simple: to make the planning process as straightforward and pain-free as possible, so you can concentrate on what you do best – running your farm.
Let us take care of the planning, while you take care of the farming.
If you have a question, we’d love to hear from you. Get in touch and let’s see how we can help.
Email enquiries@kippenash.co.uk