For a planning application to be considered ‘valid’, it must contain all of the information necessary for us to make a fair decision in line with national and local policy. All plans must be clear and easy to read. If a fee is required, it must be paid before we can validate your application.
The Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015 (as amended) regulates validation requirements at a national level, and sets out the mandatory national information requirements.
Local Planning Authorities may also request additional information above that required by the Order, based on the nature and scale of the proposed, and where is it reasonable to consider it material in the consideration and determination of a planning application.
If your application is made invalid due to a lack of submission of any of the documents set out within the Validation Requirements document on this page, and/or you disagree with the requirement, you are strongly encouraged to discuss your concerns with us initially, and prior to submission where possible. If we are unable to reach a resolution, you can follow the formal process set out in national guidance here: Making an application - Gov.uk (www.gov.uk)
The quickest route to making a valid application is to submit your application via the Planning Portal website: Planning Portal
A public consultation was held in May 2026 seeking views and any other comments on the proposed amendments. All responses have been reviewed and a summary report has been prepared Consultation responses Q&A [pdf]
A tracked changes copy highlighting amendments following the public consultation is also available – Validation Checklist V3.5 Final - tracked changes [pdf]
The final version of the updated Castle Point Validation Checklist is available here – Validation Checklist V3.5 Final [pdf]