What Are Permitted Development Rights?
Permitted Development Rights (PDR) are a set of national planning policies that allow certain building works and land uses to go ahead without full planning permission. Instead, you apply through a Prior Approval route—a simpler, faster process approved by your local authority.
Class Q
Convert barns and agricultural buildings into homes
Class MA
Turn high street shops or offices into residential flats
Class ZA
Demolish and rebuild unused commercial buildings as houses
Class AA
Add storeys to your existing property (airspace development)
These rights are outlined in the General Permitted Development Order (GPDO)—a legal framework that can work for rural, suburban, and urban plots across England.
