PPS 21 Sustainable Development in the Countryside·Page 26·5.21
Reuse and conversion of existing non-residential buildings in the countryside
Planning permission may be granted for conversion of existing non-residential buildings to dwellings, and exceptionally to multiple dwellings. Existing buildings may also be adapted for non-residential uses including economic, tourism, recreational uses or community facilities, but retailing is generally not acceptable unless small-scale and ancillary.
There is the potential for the reuse of an existing non-residential building as a dwelling and exceptionally, planning permission may be granted to conversion of a traditional building to more than one dwelling. There is also scope for the reuse and adaptation of existing buildings in the countryside for a variety of non-residential uses, including appropriate economic, tourism and recreational uses or as local community facilities. Retailing, unless small scale and ancillary to the main use, will not however be considered acceptable.
Source — /Users/richardhill/Documents/planning-arch-project/data/documents/regional/PPS 21 - Sustainable Development in the Countryside.pdf