Planning Permission Secured to Convert a Supermarket into a Medical Facility
Planning permission from Colchester City Council for alterations to a former Costcutter supermarket in Colchester to enable its subdivision into Class E medical, retail, pharmacy, café and fitness units, using the 2020 Use Classes reforms to avoid a formal change of use application.
PLANNING APPROVALSCOLCHESTERESSEX
Andrew Ransome
7/20/20262 min read
In 2024, Colchester City Council approved planning permission for alterations to a former supermarket that had been vacant since 2019, enabling it to reopen as a mixed-use facility comprising medical, retail, pharmacy, café and fitness units.
By demonstrating that all proposed uses — and the former supermarket — fell within Class E of the Use Classes Order, I avoided the need for a formal change of use application entirely. Only the physical alterations to the building required consent.
Change of Use to a Medical Facility Approved by Colchester City Council
I secured planning permission from Colchester City Council for alterations to a former Costcutter supermarket in Colchester that had been empty since 2019.
The proposed scheme sought to subdivide the large former shop into a health and medical centre with a series of separate units for retail, pharmacy, café, and fitness uses — bringing a large vacant building back into active community use.
The first and most important step was establishing the planning use class position.
The Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2020 introduced Class E, which from September 2020 brought together the former A1, A2, A3 uses and parts of D1 and D2 into a single, flexible commercial use class. The former supermarket fell within Class E — and so did every one of the proposed new uses.
This meant there was no material change of use requiring a formal planning application. No application for change of use was needed at all.
The only planning permission required was for the physical alterations to the building.
The works I sought consent for comprised external alterations to modernise the building's entrance, making it more legible and welcoming to visitors.
I demonstrated that the alterations would be fully in accordance with the Council's adopted design policies and that they would represent a genuine improvement to the appearance of the building.
Colchester City Council agreed and granted planning permission for the alterations, clearing the way for this underused building to be brought back into productive, community-facing use.
Planning Application Advice
If you own or are acquiring a vacant former retail unit and want to understand how Class E flexibility can work in practice, I can advise quickly and clearly on what is and is not required. Contact me to discuss your property.
Andrew Ransome MRTPI - Email: andrew@andrewransome.co.uk
About me
Andrew Ransome is a Planning Director and a Chartered Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI), with more than two decades of experience in town planning.
He specialises in delivering strategic planning solutions for complex developments across both rural and urban environments, helping clients navigate planning challenges and unlock development opportunities. Connect with Andrew on Linkedin.
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Get in touch for planning advice: Email: andrew@andrewransome.co.uk
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