Prior Notification - Change of Use of Agricultural Building

Prior Notification - Change of Use of Agricultural Building to a permitted flexible use Checklist and Form

The Government grants planning permission for certain changes of use of existing agricultural buildings, known as permitted developments, which can be undertaken without a planning application if the necessary criteria are met. A prior notification process is in place. You can find more information on the Planning Portal about change of use (opens in new window) 

Please download the Prior Notification - Change of Use of Agricultural Building to a permitted flexible use Form (PDF) (opens in new window)

Please make sure your application includes all the right information, or it will be judged as invalid.

Application requirements 

You will always need: 

• Written description of the proposed development (we recommend you use the form)
• A plan indicating the site and showing the proposed development
• The developer's contact address
• The developer's email address if they are happy to receive communications electronically
• Fee

You will sometimes need:

• Flood risk assessment

Top tip: A flood risk assessment will be required if the cumulative floor space of the building or buildings which are to change use exceeds 150 square metres and are in Flood Zone 3, Flood Zone 2, or an area within Flood Zone 1 which the Environment Agency have formally told us has critical drainage problems.

For more details about when we need the information above, and what we expect, please see our guidance notes.

Application guides

Our guidance notes form part of our validation checklists. They provide further details about what information we require with an application.

• Bat surveys guidance note (PDF)
• Biodiversity net gain information
• Contaminated land assessment
• Construction method statement validation guidance
• Design, access and heritage statement guidance note (PDF)
• Planning fees validation guidance
• Fire statement validation guidance
• Flood risk assessment validation guidance
• Forms guidance note (PDF)
• Non-mains drainage validation guidance
• Nutrient neutrality information guidance
• Plans validation guidance
• Renewable and low carbon energy (Policy 20) validation guidance
• Site location plan validation guidance
• Sustainable drainage system statement validation guidance
• Tree survey guidance note (PDF)
• Validation checklist  PDF, 485.95 KB
• Wind energy developments - pre-submission consultation validation guidance
• Windows validation guidance