What your application must include

Last updated: 9 December 2025

Next review: 4 December 2026

You must include all the necessary information with your planning application.

Every application we receive goes through a validation process to check that you've provided all the required information. If you fail to do this, we can't pass your application to a case officer for assessment.

We prioritise valid applications and aim to validate these within five days of receipt, or ten days for major applications.

If your application is invalid, we will write to you explaining why within 10 days. You then have 21 days to make your application valid. After that, it will be closed, and your application fee will be returned to you minus a £24.20 administration charge.

An extension may be possible if you speak to our fast-track and delivery team. Their contact details will be in our letter to you.

If you don't hear from us about your application within two weeks, call our Validation Telephone Assistance Line on 020 8496 3000.

Planning application validation requirements

The Council has approved an updated local validation checklist.

The key changes are highlighted in yellow in the Full National & Local Validation Checklist 2025 Final key changes highlighted.

The changes made are

updating of weblinks and references to other documents
including the National requirement for biodiversity net gain information
updated requirement for air quality assessment, basement impact assessment, biodiversity report, construction demolition statement, construction logistics plan, delivery and servicing plan, district heat assessment, flood risk assessment, lighting assessment, marketing strategy assessment, parking management plans, retail impact assessment and surface water drainage assessment, all as a result of new Local Plan policy and/or updated best practice.
new requirement for overheating assessment, tall buildings assessment, purpose-built student housing demand study, and urban greening assessment, as a result of the new Local Plan policy.
new local requirement for biodiversity net gain (expands on national requirement to ensure statutory requirements can be complied with).

Please note these changes either relate to the type of application affected and/or the information required.

The Council recognises that applications that have been in preparation prior to the introduction of the updated validation checklist cannot reasonably be expected to incorporate new/updated requirements, and therefore the Council will only invalidate applications that do not comply with the new requirements after 1 January 2026.

The purpose of the local validation list is to:

provide guidance on the level and type of information to submit with a planning application
list validation item requirements that fit the nature and scale of the proposal
ensure we comply with current best practice advice
ensure validation requirements are supported by the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), our adopted development plan, and other relevant legislation

The government provides guidance on a valid application (Gov.UK).