Form

Local plans: pre-examination checklists

The pre-examination checklists are to help local planning authorities ensure their plan is “ready for examination” as referred to in section 20 of the 2004 Act.

• From: Planning Inspectorate
• Published: 23 September 2025
• Last updated: 8 January 2026 — See all updates

Applies to England

Documents

Pre Examination checklist for full local plans

MS Word Document, 133 KB

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Pre Examination checklist for minerals and waste local plans

MS Word Document, 120 KB

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Pre Examination checklist for DPDs that are not full local plans such as AAPs, partial updates and part 2 plans

MS Word Document, 122 KB

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Request an accessible format.

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email corpcomms@planninginspectorate.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Details

The pre-examination checklist now forms part of the Service Level Agreement between the Planning Inspectorate and local planning authorities.  

Published 23 September 2025

Last updated 8 January 2026 + show all updates

1. 8 January 2026

   checklists updated with a box for the LPA to add the plan name

2. 6 January 2026

   We’ve updated the local plans pre-examination checklists to reflect the Minister’s letter to PINS of 27 Nov 2025.

3. 25 September 2025

   2nd para under 'Before submission' heading changed and Question 2.4 c changed

4. 23 September 2025

   First published.