Section A
Details about the policy or decision to be screened
1. Title of policy / decision to be screened
Draft Planning Application Validation Checklist
2. Brief description of policy or decision to be screened.
The Planning Application Validation Checklist is a new policy; however, it is based on Council’s Application Checklist. The Validation Checklist, which has been introduced under the Planning (General Development Procedure) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2024 (link opens in new window) empowers councils to publish a Validation Checklist that expands on the level of information required with planning applications to be valid on submission. The Validation Checklist will specify the particulars or verifying evidence that is required by the council to accompany an application for planning permission or for approval of reserved matters.
The new legislation will essentially formalise and enhance Council’s existing Application Checklist introduced in 2018, which provides guidance to customers on which information they should submit with planning applications in order to front-load the process, speed up the determination process and improve the chances of permission being granted.
The legislation comes into operation from April 2025, which gives councils time to prepare and consult on their proposed Validation Checklist ahead of the operation date.
The introduction of validation checklists to planning applications will result in extra up-front costs to applicants, in that it will require all necessary evidence and information needed to determine the proposal, to accompany the application at the time of its submission. There are no procurement implications to this policy.
3. Aims and objectives of the policy or decision to be screened.
On 1 October 2024, the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) made legislation which enables a council to publish a Validation Checklist, under the Planning (General Development Procedure) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2024. The purpose of a Validation Checklist is to extend the minimum level of information for a planning application to be legally valid so as to improve the quality of planning applications on submission. This will enable the Planning Service to process applications in a more efficient and effective manner, and in turn improve performance against statutory KPIs.
The aim of the Validation Checklist is to address ‘poor quality’ or ‘incomplete” applications entering the planning system. A Validation Checklist provides guidance about the level and type of information required to be submitted with a planning application, in order to provide a degree of certainty and clarity to assist applicants as well as making the process clear and transparent. The requirements should be proportionate to the nature and scale of the development proposal, and there is officer discretion built into the process as to whether the information is ultimately required.
It is envisaged that the Validation Checklist process will:
- address delays in the processing of applications for planning permission, by front-loading applications with all the evidence and information deemed necessary to determine the applications.
- lead to improved statutory consultee response times,
- reduce the need to re-consult statutory consultees,
- improve the time taken to reach decisions, and
- result in better quality decisions and outcomes.
4. On whom will the policy / decision impact?
- Staff: Yes
Staff will be advising on and applying the new Planning Application Validation Checklist.
- Service users: Yes
We have considered the internal and external impacts of the various groups and believe that the Planning Application Validation Checklist will impact on Service Users (e.g. applicants, planning agents, architects, developers, businesses and public). These groups will be given the opportunity to comment on this proposal through our planned consultation.
- Other public sector organisations: Yes
Statutory consultees including DfI Roads, DfI Rivers, DfC HED, DAERA, NI Water and Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE).
- Voluntary, community groups and trade unions: Yes
- Others, please specify: Yes
Elected Members – the applications that they deal with; other service areas within Council for example Legal Service, Environmental Health, Economic Development Unit, City Regeneration and Development, Landscape and Development Team and Waste Management team.
5. Are there linkages to other Agencies or Departments?
Royal Society of Ulster Architects (RSUA).
