Casino Locations No Longer Left To Chance

A consultation on tightening the planning rules for casinos was announced by ODPM Minister, Baroness Andrews today.

Currently casinos are classed as 'Amenity and Leisure' facilities and can be converted into similar facilities such as cinemas or concert halls and vice versa, without the need for planning permission.

The government considers that the rules should be tightened to require land use change permission to ensure that local planning authorities maintain development control over casinos, and is therefore consulting on the following options, of which the third is the government's preferred option:

Option 1: No change; casinos to remain classed as 'Amenity and Leisure';

Option 2: Casinos to be removed from the Use Classes Order 1987, thus removing permitted development rights;

Option 3: Casinos to be granted permitted development rights allowing their conversion into other leisure facilities, but not vice versa.

Baroness Andrews said "Tightening the system means that planners can ensure that casinos are in the interests of the local community by placing a requirement on developers to seek permission before converting other leisure facilities into casinos. We welcome responses from all interested parties and we will announce our proposals later this year."

The consultation will close on 21 October 2005.