The short version
Under the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order, most family homes sit in Use Class C3. Registered care homes, children's homes and similar "residential institutions" sit in Use Class C2. Running a regulated care business from a C3 property is a planning breach — regardless of how the home looks inside.
What actually qualifies as C2
- Residential care homes for children or adults with registered staff.
- Nursing homes providing personal care.
- Some supported living arrangements (see our supported living guide).
- Hospitals and convalescent homes.
Why C2 changes the value of a property
C2-consented properties trade on a different basis to family homes — often on yield rather than comparable sales. A successful conversion typically uplifts asset value by 30–60% and unlocks long, FRI (full-repairing-and-insuring) leases with regulated providers.
How you get there
A change-of-use planning application. It sounds simple; it's not. Local planning authorities weigh amenity impact, parking, over-concentration of care homes, highways and consultee objections. A refusal can sit on the property's record for years. This is why we do feasibility first.