Validating Your Application News 13/07/2023 by Alfie
What is validation? Validation is not the same thing as approval! Approval of a planning application makes a development lawful, so long as it also complies with relevant building regulations. Validation, on the other hand, happens much earlier in the planning application process. A submitted application is ‘valid’ if it meets all the basic requirements for information, so that the relevant authority can assess it on its merits. This means that the right documents, such as design and access statements, plans and elevations, should all be in order.
If the right information is missing, then a planning application is deemed invalid. This means that the application will not be registered as a live, and will not appear on the public system. If the information isn’t provided in time, the application could then be refused. An invalid application doesn’t just slow down your application, they slow down the planning authority’s ability to give out timely advice and planning decisions to all.
Surprisingly, a total of 65% of all applications received by Cornwall Council are invalid!
Notably, missing heritage statements are in their top 10.
What does this mean for you? It means that getting professional advice on the different needs for your planning application is key to a successful outcome.
For projects involving heritage, it also means that there’s all the more reason to consider heritage in the first instance as you shape your vision for development. Heritage statements should be compiled at the earliest stages of the design process, submitted with the application as key evidence to support the proposals and crucially important to the decision making processes. Heritage statements are the key starting point for any successful planning application in the historic environment.
A thorough heritage statement provides an evidence base, giving a clear understanding of what exactly about a building or place is significant, what can sustain a high level of change, and what can’t. Remember: all fixed features of a listed building are listed, and sometimes other buildings within their curtilage—not just the exterior! Understanding what you’ve got is the only way to move forward with confidence, and ideally, a heritage statement will always be in place before designs are finalised, or even before they’re drafted.
More on Cornwall’s Planning Validation requirements can be found here: LINK
