When You Need Prior Approval for Demolition

Part 11 Class B: the right to demolish a building

Demolition counts as development. Section 55(1A) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 lists it among building operations. Article 3(9) of the Order permits demolition only through Part 11, Classes B and C.

Class B permits "any building operation consisting of the demolition of a building". Class C covers gates, fences, walls and other means of enclosure. Class B does not apply where:

1. Neglect made it unsafe. Someone with an interest in the land caused the danger, and repair or temporary support is practicable.
2. Conservation area. The building is unlisted and stands in a conservation area, so planning permission is needed.
3. Pubs. The building is, or was last, a drinking establishment, with or without expanded food.
4. Venues. The building is, or was last, a concert hall, a live music venue or a theatre.
5. Monuments. A statue, memorial or monument has stood for at least 10 years, subject to listed exceptions.

Urgent work follows its own rule. If demolition is urgently necessary for safety or health, there is no prior approval step. You give the council a written justification as soon as reasonably practicable.

Some demolition sits outside the procedure altogether. The Order calls it excluded demolition. It includes demolition on land with planning permission for its redevelopment, and demolition required by another law.

Our guide to the General Permitted Development Order shows how Part 11 fits with the other Parts and Classes. If one of these exclusions might catch your building, send us the address before you plan the work.

What the council checks in a demolition prior approval

The question put to the council is narrow. It decides whether its prior approval is needed for two matters only: the method of demolition and any proposed restoration of the site.

The application itself is short. Under paragraph B.2(b)(ii) it contains:

1. A written description. What you propose to demolish, and how.
2. A statement on the notice. Confirmation that a site notice has been posted.
3. The fee. £249 for Part 11 Class B, in the Planning Portal fee guide V2026.1, in force from 1 April 2026.

The Planning Portal lists a rise to £310 from 8 December 2026. It takes effect only if Parliament approves the draft amending legislation.

A clear method statement and a plan for the cleared site speak to both matters. We write them with the construction team that will do the work. Once work starts, it must follow the details the council approved, or the details you submitted. Any change needs the council's written agreement.

Homeowners working on a house usually meet other parts of the Order first. Our guide to permitted development rights in London covers extensions, lofts and outbuildings.

The site notice and the 28-day rule

The site notice tells neighbours what is planned. You display it on or near the land. It must be displayed for at least 21 days in the 28 days that follow your application.

Notices get torn down. If yours is removed or defaced through no fault of yours, you still comply, provided you took reasonable steps to protect and replace it. Keep dated photos of the notice in place.

Demolition may not begin until one of three things happens:

1. Not required. The council tells you in writing that its prior approval is not needed.
2. Approved. The council gives its prior approval.
3. No decision. 28 days pass from the date the council received the application, with no determination.

The 28 days run from the council's receipt, so post the notice on the day you apply. When we make the application, we post the notice and keep dated photos of it.

When full planning permission applies instead

Since 1 October 2013, demolishing an unlisted building in a conservation area in England has been "relevant demolition". Section 196D of the 1990 Act makes it an offence to carry it out without planning permission. Class B excludes it, so a planning application is needed.

The penalties are real. On indictment, the court can impose up to two years in prison, a fine, or both. It must consider any financial benefit from the demolition. Permission granted later does not remove the offence, and no time limit applies to enforcement.

The defence is narrow. You must prove the work was urgently necessary for safety or health. Repair or temporary support must not have been practicable, and the demolition must be the minimum needed. The council must have had written notice as soon as reasonably practicable.

Listed buildings sit outside section 196D. Works to demolish one need listed building consent instead. Not sure whether your demolition is permitted? A lawful development certificate for proposed operations gives a formal answer from the council.

If your site needs planning permission, we prepare the application and price the demolition and the rebuild together. Send us the address and we reply the same working day.

Demolish and rebuild under Part 20 Class ZA

Class ZA goes further than Class B. It allows a building to be demolished and replaced by new homes, through one prior approval. The old building must be a detached office, research and development or light industrial building, or a purpose-built detached block of flats.

The exclusions are wider than under Class B. Class ZA does not apply in conservation areas or on other article 2(3) land. Listed buildings, scheduled monuments and sites within 3 kilometres of an aerodrome perimeter are also excluded.

The council also checks far more. Its matters include the method of demolition, the design and external appearance of the new building, and natural light. Heritage, landscaping, transport, flooding and noise are on the list too.

The homes must be completed within three years of the prior approval date. That is why we fix the build programme before the application goes in. Want to know whether your building qualifies? Get a free route check.