However, the national policy introduced in August 2026 requires proportionate, policy-justified information. Use the checklist for the actual application type and resolve any disputed report requirement against that current framework. [1][2]
What does the council's list say?
For householder proposals, the list calls for existing and proposed plans, relevant elevations, photographs and other drawings appropriate to the works. Roof plans are relevant where the roof changes; sections and levels are required where needed to explain the proposal. The sustainability checklist and statement are expressly listed rather than left only to large developments. [1]
The minor and major requirements also include sustainability material. Other procedures, such as certificate applications or applications concerning trees, have their own requirements. Select the application-specific section to identify the documents needed for your consent route. [1][3]
What is the difference between the checklist and statement?
The council's householder sustainability guide has two complementary outputs. The checklist records relevant principles and measures; the accompanying statement explains the response in the actual design. A series of ticks without a connection to the plans is less useful than identifying what is proposed and where it is shown. [4]
For example, organise the explanation around the work being undertaken: retained fabric, proposed insulation and windows, daylight and shading, ventilation, water and the treatment of outside space where relevant. State which elements are included, which are not applicable and which still need technical resolution. This is a practical way to use the guide, not a promise that one standard paragraph satisfies every project. [4]
The linked householder guide dates from 2022. Its checklist structure should not be confused with confirmation that every technical specification or reference within an older guide remains the current building-regulations requirement. Building regulations approval is a separate process that may be required alongside planning permission. [4][5]
How does the August 2026 national policy fit?
Under the current NPPF's policy DM2, additional local information requirements must be justified by the relevant policy basis and be proportionate to the scale and effects of development. The policy does not support an indiscriminate demand for the same report on every application regardless of its relevance. [2]
The February council list predates that national policy. Where a blanket entry appears excessive for a small project, identify the issue and ask the council what information it considers necessary, which policy supports the request and whether a shorter explanation is sufficient. Do not silently omit a listed item or assume that publication of the new NPPF automatically resolves an individual validation dispute. [2][1]
A practical submission sequence
- Select the correct application type and read both the national and local information requirements linked from the council's validation page. [3]
- Match each supporting document to the actual works and site constraints; use a brief explanation for genuinely inapplicable items rather than an unexplained omission. [3][2]
- Where the scope remains unclear, seek pre-application advice on the proposal and supporting material before commissioning a larger report. The council offers a specific advice service. [6]
Keep the plans, checklist and statement consistent. Validation checks the submission package; it is not a promise that the design will receive permission or that technical approval has been secured. The council's pre-application guidance also warns that advice cannot guarantee the final decision. [7][5]