Local Validation Checklist update

West Area (Former Somerset West and Taunton area) and Mineral and Waste Proposals

We are seeking views on updates to the Local Validation Checklist for the West area and Mineral and Waste proposals. Local Validation Checklists help inform applicants and agents of the type of documents and level of information required to validate a planning application or other similar consents.

We are committed to providing a professional and efficient Development Management service. This document is part of a suite of documents that will help all potential applicants to prepare their submissions and ensure they can be validated and determined as swiftly as possible. Each of the former Planning Authorities in Somerset has in place a Local Validation Checklist. Each of these was adopted at a different time and reflects the Local Plan for that area or specialism. Whilst a new Local Plan for Somerset is under preparation, we are not yet in a position to have a single Local Validation Checklist for the whole authority area. It is necessary to make sure that the Local Validation Checklists that we do have are compliant with legislation and updated accordingly. Therefore, we are consulting specifically on the Local Validation Checklists for Area West (formerly Somerset West and Taunton) and Mineral and Waste proposals. These were adopted more than two years ago.

Others will be updated in due course. In line with National Guidance and the council’s adopted Statement of Community Involvement, public consultation is necessary during production of these documents. And the outcomes of that consultation need to inform the final document.

The purpose of the consultation is:

• To seek views from planning applicants, agents, developers, and other relevant parties on our proposed documents, and to take these views into account before adopting the final document.
• To publish for use by planning applicants, agents and developers, for the submission of valid planning applications in these areas.
• To adopt the Local Validation Checklist as a material planning consideration.

The checklists that are being consulted on can be seen on our consultation platform: Local Validation Checklist – Somerset Council – Citizen Space.

The consultation ran for six weeks, from Wednesday 31 January 2024 to Wednesday 13 March 2024.

West Area - planning application information requirements (Former Somerset West and Taunton area)

For a planning application to be considered valid, it must contain all the information necessary for us to make a fair decision and be accompanied by the correct fee.

The Local Validation Checklist – Somerset West and Taunton provides guidance to help you to submit the necessary supporting information to register a valid planning application.

Biodiversity Checklist

The Biodiversity Checklist – Somerset West and Taunton has been produced to assist developers and their agents to assess if a Wildlife/Ecology Survey is required as part of a planning application.

Please return the completed Biodiversity Checklist with your planning application.

Green Infrastructure Checklist

The Green Infrastructure Checklist has been produced to ensure Green Infrastructure is integrated and maximised within all new developments and to promote best practice design solutions.

Please return the completed Green Infrastructure Checklist with your planning application.

National information requirements

There are national information requirements for all types of developments.

You can view the national requirements here.

Biodiversity Net Gain

The Council has adopted specific Biodiversity Net Gain validation requirements as an addendum to existing validation checklists. These validation requirements extend beyond the national minimum requirements.

Please see the Biodiversity Net Gain page for further information.

Phosphates within Somerset

Please see the Phosphates page for more information on how phosphates may affect your application and how we will deal with it.

Mineral and Waste Applications

Local areas have local information requirements for planning applications. Please ensure that you supply all documents and plans in line with these requirements.

For a planning application to be considered valid, it must contain all the information necessary for us to make a fair decision and be accompanied by the correct fee.

Waste Planning Applications

You can use the Local Validation Checklist guidance to help you to submit the necessary supporting information to register a valid planning application.