FOI release

Play Area next to The Child Development Centre,Ross Road, HR2 7RL

Case reference FOI2025/02302

Received 18 November 2025

Published 8 December 2025

Request

Play Area next to The Child Development Centre, Ross Road, HR2 7RL

Please could you let me know what the Planning Use Class for this play area is?

It was previously F2 - Local Community Use. Has the class use changed, and if so when did it change and through what mechanism?

I have submitted a previous freedom information request about this, however I have learnt that the response to that request was inaccurate.

I was previously informed that A Certificate of Lawful Development for allotments changed the class use to 'agricultural'.

However I have been informed that this is not correct. Is the planning use class still F2 - Local Community use?

Response

Play Area next to The Child Development Centre, Ross Road, HR2 7RL

Please could you let me know what the Planning Use Class for this play area is?

 

A: The planning use for the play area is Use Class F2(c).

Has the class use changed, and if so when did it change and through what mechanism?

A: As previously highlighted, a Lawful Development Certificate for a ‘Proposed Use of land as allotments’ (Reference: 241928) was approved on 23rd August 2024. My previous response also highlighted that there had been retrospective applications (References: P242458/F & P242275/FH) changes of use from the play area to residential garden land.

 

The Council is currently determining an application “Proposed improvements to existing access arrangements to facilitate the permitted use of land as allotments and ancillary works to include signs, sheds and a compostable toilet” (Reference: P243167/F). As part of this application the Council is reconsulting with Open Spaces. Last week, the agent for application P243167/F notified the case officer that the Hereford Allotment & Leisure Gardeners had now commenced its use of the land at Ross Road as allotments. Allotments have been marked out within the site, with three allotments completed.

I have submitted a previous freedom information request about this, however I have learnt that the response to that request was inaccurate.

I was previously informed that A Certificate of Lawful Development for allotments changed the class use to 'agricultural'. However I have been informed that this is not correct.

 

A: In my previous responses I identified that the site had previously been Use Clas F2(c). I also acknowledge that in subsequent emails I made reference to the fact that it was agricultural use. This was erroneous and had been confused with the assessment of whether it represented ‘development’ by virtue of it meeting the definition of agricultural. The play area is Use Class F2(c).

Is the planning use class still F2 - Local Community use?

 

A: Yes

 

Documents

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