A Certificate of Lawful Use or Development (CLUD) can be obtained from the Local Planning Authority (LPA).  The CLUD is a determination by the LPA that the proposed use or operations, as specified, is lawful.  The CLUD is useful for certain types of development which do not require a planning permission but require a confirmation from the LPA.  They are particularly useful for certain types of funding applications which require a determination that planning permission is not required.  A CLUD can also give you peace of mind that the proposed or existing operations are lawful and do not require a planning consent.