This public consultation is open from 1st December 2025 to 23rd February 2026.
Why are we consulting?
On 1 October 2024, the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) made a Statutory Rule, The Planning (General Development Procedure) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2024, which enables councils to publish a Planning Application Validation Checklist.
The Planning Application Validation Checklist is one of the measures aimed at creating a more efficient, effective, and transparent planning system.
In line with this legislation change we are taking time to prepare and consult on our proposed statutory validation checklist within the Lisburn and Castlereagh area.
What is a Planning Application Validation Checklist?
The Planning Application Validation Checklist sets out the information, plans or evidence which must be submitted with your planning application to make it a ‘valid’ application and enable it to be processed by our planning team. It will improve the quality of applications entering the system and will reduce the number of times that new information needs to be requested and submitted which can then result in additional advertising, neighbour notification and consultations needing to be carried out.
Through the new legislation, the basic level of information that must be included with a planning application will increase. Whenever a planning application becomes ‘valid’ the timeframe for processing the application begins.
The extent of information sought will be proportionate to the scale and nature of the development proposed. It is acknowledged there may be site specific instances when a particular survey, report or assessment may not be required. Planning agents are encouraged to discuss any queries with a planning officer. While the number of requirements will increase with the complexity and scale of a planning application, it would be rare that all validation requirements would be required for any one application.
Who we are consulting?
We are seeking your views on a draft Planning Application Validation Checklist. It will set out the information, plans or evidence which must be submitted with your planning application. The consultation response will take less than 10 minutes to complete.
How long will the consultation period last and how do I respond?
The public consultation will run for a 12 week period from 01 December 2025 to 23 February 2026. Responses received after 23 February 2026 will not be considered.
Please respond to this consultation via the link below. Alternatively you may print a hard copy and e-mail to planning@lisburncastlereagh.gov.uk or post to Planning and Capital Development, Lagan Valley Island, Lisburn, BT27 4RL.
Once the consultation period closes, we will consider the comments received before a final statutory Planning Application Validation Checklist is implemented.
Associated documents for viewing with this survey:
Access our consultation