In case you have not heard the government is committed to reshaping the planning system to make it accessible, efficient and more predictable. Permitted development (PD) rights, which are kryptonite to the paternalistic planner and cocaine to the free marketeer, have come in from the shadowy fringe to take centre stage in this government’s reshaping process. From September last year a new use class brought together commercial, business and service uses ‘to provide greater flexibility and enable businesses to respond rapidly to changing market demands’. It seemed to me that most commentators agreed that moving between such uses without the need for a planning application was a good thing on the basis perhaps that one of those activities is better than no activity. ‘ Class E’s are good ’ someone who came of age in the ‘90s might say. Hot on it’s heels though came another consultation in December on a proposed new PD right for the change from that new Class E to residential. My sense