May 2023
Contents
A planning application must include certain information in order for it to be considered valid.
Some of these requirements are stipulated in planning legislation and the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and these are known as the national validation requirements. These are detailed within the National Planning Practice Guidance (NPPG).
The NPPF also makes provision for local planning authorities to adopt a local validation checklist to reflect local requirements and circumstances. The NPPF makes it clear that local validation requirements should be limited to the minimum necessary to make decisions. The information requested must be relevant, necessary and material to the application in question.
Local validation requirements should be reviewed at least every who years.
Where changes are proposed to an adopted local validation checklist, those changes should be explained and publicised.
This statement will explain what changes are proposed to Blackpool’s local validation checklist and why. It will also set out how the proposed list will be published for consultation and how interested persons can comment.
Any comments received will be taken into account and the council may make appropriate changes to the list.
Once finalised, the local validation checklist will be adopted by the council and published on the council’s website. Planning applications received after the publication of the local validation checklist will be expected to meet the requirements of the list.
The Council’s current validation checklist was adopted in May 2021. The adopted checklist is attached to this statement at Appendix A. This checklist pre-dates the adoption of the Blackpool Local Plan Part 2: Site Allocations and Development Management Policies document which sets out some new requirements in terms of planning submissions.
As a result, an updated local validation checklist has been produced. This is attached as Appendix B.
The proposed checklist does not replicate national requirements meaning that local review, amendment and re-consultation will not automatically be necessary if changes are made at national level. For ease and convenience of use, the checklist page will include a link to the national validation requirements which are set out in the National Planning Practice Guidance.
The proposed checklist splits local requirements both by area and by application/proposal type. This should make it easier for applicants to understand what information they will need to provide.
If you would like to comment on the proposed changes to the Council’s validation checklist, please make your comments in writing:
By email – planning@blackpool.gov.uk
By post – Head of development management
Blackpool Council
Municipal Buildings
PO Box 17
Corporation Street
Blackpool
FY1 1LZ
All comments must be received by 7 May 2021.