# 72 Prebend Street, Islington (Class MA prior approval)

- **Decision:** dismissed, 28 August 2026
- **Decided by:** Planning Inspector: N Unwin
- **Authority:** Islington (London)
- **Appeal reference:** 6002628
- **Application reference:** P2025/2589/PRA
- **Procedure:** written-representations
- **Development:** Class MA prior approval: conversion of ground and first floors of a former public house building to 4 self-contained flats
- **Homes:** 4
- **Site context:** inside-settlement, conservation-area
- **Green Belt:** no
- **Framework applied:** No Framework version cited
- **Determinative policies:** GPDO Sch2 Pt3 Class MA
- **Main issues:** scope of Class MA
- **Tags:** tier-2, prior-approval, class-ma, transitional-no-consultation

## Summary
A Class MA prior approval for four flats in a former pub building failed because the upper floors were never in Class E use; they retained the pub's sui generis use. The prior-approval matters (conservation area, light, noise) were not reached (DL 10-11).

## What made the difference
The planning unit history: the earlier permission changed only the ground and lower ground floors to Class E, so the proposal was not permitted development at all.

## Policy findings
- **GPDO Sch2 Pt3 Class MA: fail.** first and second floors retain former public house (sui generis) use; only ground and lower ground are Class E, so change from sui generis to C3 is outside Class MA (DL 7-10)

## Key facts
- 2021 appeal changed only ground/lower ground floors from pub to Class E cafe (APP/V5570/W/21/3281724)
- Inspector: the 17 Aug 2026 Framework 'does not change the planning policy context in respect of the main issue' (DL 2)

## Sources
- https://appeal-planning-decision.service.gov.uk/comment-planning-appeal/appeals/6002628
- https://appeal-planning-decision.service.gov.uk/published-document/ab1b02ad-ca69-4ff1-9a64-cd00e97265c2

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Source: https://planningdistilled.org/research/england/nppf-navigator/decisions/PINS-6002628.html

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