What is the Local Validation List?

The adopted Ipswich Borough Council Local Validation List sets out all the information that Ipswich Borough Council require to be submitted prior to a planning application being validated. The Local Validation List comprises a list of documents and guidance that explains when each document is required to ensure that planning applications and other applications are supported by sufficient detailed information.

The checklist is divided into two sections, which are the national validation requirements and the local validation requirements:

• the national requirements are set by Government and are consistent across all local planning authorities in England
• the local requirements (or ‘local validation list’) must be prepared by each local planning authority and should be tailored to reflect the material planning considerations that are relevant for that area

The level of information required varies depending on the nature and scale of a development proposal.

If you intend to apply for planning permission or other consents, we recommend that you familiarise yourself with the Local Validation List to ensure that your application contain all the information required. If any of the required information is missing from an application it will not be validated.

Public Consultation

The Council undertook a public consultation on the draft Ipswich Borough Council Local Validation List between 19 October and 30 November 2022.

The comments the Council received are reproduced in the Consultation Statement together with the officer's response indicating how the points raised have been addressed.

Inspection of adoption documents 

The Local Validation List and supporting documents are available to view below:

• Ipswich Borough Council Local Validation List;
• Ipswich Borough Council Local Validation List Adoption Statement dated 22nd February 2023;
• Ipswich Borough Council Local Validation List Consultation Statement;
• Ipswich Borough Council Local Validation List Equality Impact Assessment;
• Strategic Environmental Assessment Screening Report (under Regulation 9 of the Environmental Assessment of Plans and Programmes Regulations 2004) for the Ipswich Borough Council Local Validation List; and
• Habitats Regulations Assessment Screening Report for the Ipswich Borough Council Local Validation List.

The documents listed above are also available for inspection at the following locations:

• Town Hall, Cornhill, Ipswich (Mon to Sat 10am to 4pm);
• Ipswich County Library, Northgate Street, Ipswich (Mon, Weds, Thurs 9am to 6pm; Tues, Fri 9am to 7pm; Saturdays 8.30am to 5pm and Sundays 10am to 4pm); and
• Grafton House Reception, 15-17 Russell Road, Ipswich (Mon-Fri 8.30am to 5pm) – by appointment only (see arrangements below) *.

* To view the documents at the Council’s Offices, Grafton House, please call 01473 432019 or email planningpolicy@ipswich.gov.uk to arrange viewing.

Validation Process

On receipt of an application, the Council will firstly check the application to determine whether it’s complete.

A valid application comprises:

• Information requested on the standard Application Form;
• Mandatory national information requirements, including a Design and Access Statement if one is required; and
• Information specified on the Local Validation List.

Once an application has been received, accompanied by all the necessary information, it will normally be validated within two working days. Notification will be given to the applicant in writing. The Council will then start the determination process.

Once an application has been received the application is given an application number.  Once the application has been validated it will be placed on the planning register.

Normally, most minor and small-scale applications should be validated within three to five working days from the date of receipt. Major applications should be validated within ten working days.

Invalid applications

If an application is deemed invalid, the Council will notify the applicant of their reasons in writing.

Application Types

The table below sets out documents that could be required to validate your planning application. Not all the items listed under an application heading will apply in every case. The adopted Local Validation List includes guidance which sets out the circumstances in which you will need to submit specific information.

Biodiversity Net Gain - PLEASE TAKE NOTE

Biodiversity net gain (BNG) became mandatory for all Town and Country Planning Act development bar exemptions and non-major development from 12 February 2024. BNG will be required for development not defined as non-major development from 2 April 2024.

In November 2023, the government clarified the validation requirements for BNG eligible development proposals.

Where development would be subject to the general biodiversity gain condition, the application must be accompanied by minimum information set out in Article 7 of The Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015:

• a statement as to whether the applicant believes that planning permission, if granted, would be subject to the biodiversity gain condition;
• the pre-development biodiversity value of the onsite habitat on the date of application (or an earlier date) including the completed metric calculation tool used showing the calculations, the publication date and version of the biodiversity metric used to calculate that value;
• where the applicant wishes to use an earlier date, the proposed earlier date and the reasons for proposing that date;
• a statement confirming whether the biodiversity value of the onsite habitat is lower on the date of application (or an earlier date) because of the carrying on of activities (‘degradation’) in which case the value is to be taken as immediately before the carrying on of the activities, and if degradation has taken place supporting evidence of this;
• a description of any irreplaceable habitat (as set out in column 1 of the Schedule to the Biodiversity Gain Requirements (Irreplaceable Habitat) Regulations [2024]) on the land to which the application relates, that exists on the date of application, (or an earlier date); and
• a plan, drawn to an identified scale which must show the direction of North, showing onsite habitat existing on the date of application (or and earlier date), including any irreplaceable habitat.

If this information has not been provided, the local planning authority must refuse to validate the application. Within the planning application form applicants will be asked to confirm whether this information accompanies the application. Where these details have been provided elsewhere in accompanying documents, applicants are encouraged to refer to these rather than duplicate this information within the application form.

The above minimum information requirements should be provided in lieu of the ‘Biodiversity Gain Plan’ referred to on page 30 of the Ipswich Local Validation List, February 2023.

The Council will look to update its Local Validation List in due course.