The requirements for making a valid application for planning permission

Acquiring planning permission for your dream development can be a stressful process. Planning permission is complex and many people have fallen into the pitfalls that await the inexperienced. To help as a starting point, we’ve written a short article that explains the requirements for making a valid application for planning permission.

What documents do I need to provide?

As well as the standard application form, most planning applications require two plans to be submitted as supporting documents. These are…

Location plan – This document displays the site area and its surrounding context. This can be purchased online as part of the application process, or separately, and then attached to the application.

Site plan (or block plan) – This document shows the proposed development in detail. Just like the location plan this can be purchased online.

Ownership & Agricultural holdings certificates – An ownership certificate (A,B,C or D) must be completed stating the ownership of the property in the application form itself. Irrelevant of whether the site includes an agricultural holding or not, all agricultural tenants must be notified prior to the submission of the application.

Correct application fee – this can be calculated for free by using Planning Portal’s fee calculator.

If you choose to apply online, your submission will automatically be received by the relevant local planning authority. However, the local planning authority will not be able to process your application if the supporting documents mentioned above have not been provided. Checking local validation lists is also critical.

Local level requirements

In addition to the list above, your local planning authority can produce a further list of requirements that you must adhere to. This list will provide details of any specific documentation that is required to accompany the application. Local level requirements can differ, dependent on the type of application, i.e. household, full, outline, etc. Councils must publish their local validation lists and must review and consult on them every two years.

Conclusion

Obtaining planning permission and preparing valid planning applications can be a lengthy process. With our extensive experience on a range of planning applications, the team at Planning Insight can help you navigate through the process. Our goal is to eliminate any worry or time-consuming requirements, and to put forward the most convincing case, to get your planning consent granted.