Legal viewpoint: Welcome news for high streets as use rights reforms confirmed

One of the most significant planning changes of 2020 was the creation of the new class E and F use classes. These were part of a suite of reforms to the Use Classes Order and permitted development (PD) rights in England, representing initial steps by government to galvanise and modernise the planning system to better respond to the socio-economic challenges facing the country, exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic.