What is Validation?
When an application has been received, it is checked to determine whether the information provided is sufficiently thorough and comprehensive to allow the proposal to be properly assessed. This process is known as validation. Typically, many applications will be expected to include the following items:
- Form filled in correctly, with all relevant questions answered;
- Correct fee received;
- Site location plan marked with site boundary;
- Various scale drawings showing proposal.
In addition, some applications may require additional items, such as:
- Photographs of site;
- Design and Access Statement;
- Site surveys.
However, the exact requirements will depend both on the type of application and on the nature and complexity of the proposed development. For some guidance on what is required for common types of application, see What to Include with your Application.
Information that must be included
Guidance on the requirements for information that must be provided for each application type is given within the following document. The information that must be supplied according to application type is set out from page 38 onwards of this document. The information that must be provided appears under the heading ‘national requirements’:
Local List
In addition to the statutory requirements for specific information to accompany a planning application further information may be required in order to make the application valid. This will depend on the type of application and the character of the area in which the site is located.
The additional types of information that may be required for different types of application is illustrated in the checklist below. It must however be stressed that this ‘local list’ represents an upper limit for items that may be requested to accompany an application. In practice only a small number of these items will be required for a vast majority of applications.
The following document is an extract from the Government’s publication ‘The Validation of Planning Applications: Guidance for Local Planning Authorities December 2007’. It provides further explanation and guidance on the circumstances in which the various items of further information will be required:
Applicants/agents are always encouraged to seek pre-application advice from the Council’s Development Control section regarding the information that they will be required to submit to accompany their planning application.
Comprehensive Checklist
The following document contains a comprehensive list of all the items of information that can potentially be requested by this planning authority for an applicant or agent to supply with an application: