Is Your Application Valid?
The following information explains how we decide whether
applications made under the Town and Country Planning Acts are
valid when we receive them.
This advice
will...
- assist you in ensuring that your applications are valid when
submitted
- ensure that all applications can be dealt with effectively and
efficiently
- respond positively to the Best Practice Advice issued by
Government, and
- ensure that we comply with recent changes in legislation
The advice explains the type of information required for certain
types of applications. For example if you are submitting an
application for a new housing development you will need to consider
whether an Affordable Housing Statement should be submitted. This
advice does not tell you how much affordable housing your
scheme should include. (Advice on the amount of affordable housing
can be found in the Council’s policy documents and other advice
notes).
You can view more information below and view General Requirements
and Local
Requirements within this section of the website,
alternatively you can download the booklet,
Planning Validation
Advice 592Kb PDF.
Please read this information carefully before completing
and submitting your planning application.
Submitting Applications Online
We are able to receive all applications online via
the Planning Portal.
This validation advice will assist you when submitting your
application online and, if you follow the guidelines
correctly, it will enable us to process and publish (on
the website) your application quicker.
You must ensure:
- No individual file is greater than 5Mb
- Large documents are broken down into manageable files e.g. in
chapters and sections
- It is important that the naming structure explains the document
and chapter in plain English
- All major dimensions must be specified on drawings. This is
necessary for the assessment of drawings. Drawings should include a
scale and calibration scale
- Drawings should be orientated so they appear correctly when
viewed on screen (i.e. North at the top of the screen).
Paper Applications
If you send your application to us on paper we will expect
you to have completed and supplied the relevant
Validation Checklist with it. There is one checklist for each type
of planning application. These correspond with the 1APP forms that
come into force on 1 April 2008. If the information required by the
Validation Checklist is not sent with the application then the
application will not be valid and will not progress to a
decision.
View the Paper Application Forms and Validation
Checklists.
Why do we require so much information?
Some information - and a fee - is required by law when an
application is submitted. In addition, current national regulations
give planning authorities the power to request that
applicants provide additional information in the interests of
good and efficient decision making.
National legislation and regulations in
relation to the registration and validation of applications
currently includes:
Authorities have powers under regulation 4 of
the Town and Country Planning (Applications) Regulations to direct
applicants to:
(a) supply any further information, and except
in the case of outline applications, plans and drawings necessary
to enable them to determine the application or
(b) provide an officer with any evidence in respect of the
application as is reasonable for them to call for to verify any
particulars of information given to them
Different types of applications will require different levels of
information and supporting documentation to be submitted.
The Department of Communities and Local Government has published
guidance (The Validation of Planning Applications Guidance for
Local Planning Authorities December 2007) recommending that local
planning authorities specify the scope of information necessary to
enable them to determine different types of applications. This is
what this validation advice does.
Our Validation Checklists have also been the subject of public
consultation in accordance with the above guidance.
Common Reasons Why Applications are Invalid
The most common reasons why applications are not valid when
received are:
- supporting documents that omitted information specified in the
guidance notes accompanying the planning application form and/or
set out in national guidance, the statutory development plan or
supplementary planning guidance
- submitted drawings did not show sufficient details as specified
in the guidance notes or were inconsistent
- One or more plans missing
- description of the development is wrong
- Design and Access Statement is missing
- Heritage Statement is missing
- different application addresses on the forms and drawings
- building works encroaching on the neighbouring property
- incorrectly signed or unsigned certificates
- insufficient copies of plans and forms submitted
- inconsistency between elevations and floor plans
- incorrect fees enclosed or fee cheque not signed
- information still inadequate after one or more requests to the
applicant for further details
Data Protection and the Internet
The information you provide on the application form and in the
supporting documents is public information which will be made
available on the Council’s website. In view of this, if you supply
personal information belonging to a third party, please ensure you
have their permission to do so.
The information is published for the purpose of planning
matters only and should not be used for any mailing or other
lists without being filtered against the Mailing Preference Service
(MPS) Consumer File. Details of how to obtain the MPS Consumer File
can be found on the MPS website. Use of
applicants’ details without such filtering constitutes an offence
under the regulations of the Advertising Standards Authority, and
can result in penalties.
The Validation Process
We will only consider applications that are valid.
“Valid” means that all the information specified in order to
determine the application, must be provided in full at the start of
the process, and to an acceptable quality. If relevant information
or the correct fee is missing we will not be able to start
determining the application and the planning process will be
delayed. Poor quality information may also cause delay.
There are different types of applications. Some types require
more detailed information than others. All information needs to be
accurate. Some information can be complex and technical. It is
required so that Council officers (not just in Planning), technical
consultees and members can assess what the impacts of the
development will be on neighbours, for example, regarding noise
from air conditioning units, or the amount of traffic generated by
a proposal. The information also helps the general public
understand your proposals.
It is likely that you will need to appoint an architect,
surveyor or specialist consultant to prepare the information for
you. This might seem like an additional expense. However, it could
save time and money in the long run and mean that permission is
granted more quickly.
We want to make the process as simple as possible. We have
prepared checklists which confirm what information is required for
different types of applications.
You are encouraged to use these checklists to ensure that
applications are complete when they are submitted to us. Checklists
should be completed by you and submitted with the application. We
will look at these checklists at the start of the planning process
to make sure that the application is valid.
Buy A Plan
Every planning application needs a site location plan and block
plan showing the location and boundaries of the site you are
planning to work on. You can use the Planning Portal's 'Buy a Plan'
service to ensure that you meet our requirements, whether you are a
planning professional or first-time applicant.
Click here to "Buy a Plan"
What if Further Information or a Fee is Required?
We will notify you within three working days if the application
is incomplete due to missing information or fee. We will specify
what needs to be provided and give a timescale for the submission
of the missing information or fee. If this is not submitted within
the given timescale the application will be returned to you and no
further action will be taken on it.
Extra copies of plans may sometimes be requested if the Council
needs to consult a wider than usual range of neighbours or expert
advisers. The Council also reserves the right to request any other
information considered necessary to make a full planning assessment
of your proposal.
Where an application is not accompanied by validation
information, then applicants should provide written justification
with the application as to why it is not appropriate in the
particular circumstances. In such cases, we will not declare the
application invalid unless we can provide reasons to the
applicant.
Further Information and Contacts
In person
- Ashford Gateway Plus, Church Road, Ashford, Kent, TN23 1AS
- Tenterden Gateway, 2 Manor Row, Tenterden TN30
6HP
By telephone
- Customer Contact Team - telephone 01233 331111
- Planning Enquiries team for specialist planning information -
telephone 01233 330264
Or email the Planning Team, planning.enquiries@ashford.gov.uk
For national and regional planning policies and guidance
(Planning Policy Guidance Notes or Statements, government
circulars) visit:
For Kent and Medway Structure Plan, Kent Design and other Kent
County Council publications see the Kent County Council website.
You can view the Ashford Borough Local Plan, Local Development
Framework, Application Forms and Guidance and Address Planning
History and lots more information on this website.
For information on nature conservation and biodiversity see the
Natural England
website.
For information on flood risk see the Environment Agency
website.
Don’t forget that Planning, Listed Building, Advertisement
Consents may not be the only permissions or consents you may need
from the Council. Other consents include Building Regulations,
Licensing, Food Safety and others.
This webpage was updated on
7/15/2011