Planning Validation Requirements Changes 2025
The Planning Validation Requirements sets out the plans and documents: you must submit with your planning application so it can be registered.
The draft Planning Validation Requirements have been produced in accordance with Paragraph 44 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), which advises that Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) should publish a list of their information requirements for applications submitted for planning permission.
There are two types of planning validation requirements:
- National validation requirements (External link) are set by central government. They are the same for all LPAs in England.
- Local validation requirements (External link) set out the conditions and documents required for your planning application in Maidstone and Swale Borough Councils.
National Planning Policy Guidance sets out a three-step process for preparing and revising local validation requirements. We must:
- Review the existing requirements
- Consult on any proposed changes
- Publish the revised validation requirements on the LPAs websites
Summary of changes
- Introduce a limits on the age of documents and information for:
- A5: Site Specific Flood Risk Assessment
- A6: Ecological/Protected Species Survey
- To include the requirement for a Parking Stress Surveys (A16 & A17) to be undertaken for all applications for new or converted Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMOs) and designated settlements (agreed by Cabinet in July as part of the HMO SPD).
- To introduced the requirement for applications to demonstrate how they have used BfL12 when designing developments
How you can get involved
Review: Read the draft checklist.
Survey: Tell us what you think about the proposed changes to the Planning Validation Requirements .
Consultation closes: 21 October 2025.
What happens next
We will consider all comments and produce a final report with our responses. An updated local validation checklist will then be published.
