Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004

113 Validity of strategies, plans and documents

(1) This section applies to—

(a) a revision of the regional spatial strategy;

(b) the Wales Spatial Plan;

(c) a development plan document;

(d) a local development plan;

(e) a revision of a document mentioned in paragraph (b), (c) or (d);

(f) the Mayor of London’s spatial development strategy;

(g) an alteration or replacement of the spatial development strategy,

and anything falling within paragraphs (a) to (g) is referred to in this section as a relevant document.

(2) A relevant document must not be questioned in any legal proceedings except in so far as is provided by the following provisions of this section.

(3) A person aggrieved by a relevant document may make an application to the High Court on the ground that—

(a) the document is not within the appropriate power;

(b) a procedural requirement has not been complied with.

(4) But the application must be made not later than the end of the period of six weeks starting with the relevant date.

(5) The High Court may make an interim order suspending the operation of the relevant document—

(a) wholly or in part;

(b) generally or as it affects the property of the applicant.

(6) Subsection (7) applies if the High Court is satisfied—

(a) that a relevant document is to any extent outside the appropriate power;

(b) that the interests of the applicant have been substantially prejudiced by a failure to comply with a procedural requirement.

(7) The High Court may quash the relevant document—

(a) wholly or in part;

(b) generally or as it affects the property of the applicant.

(8) An interim order has effect until the proceedings are finally determined.

(9) The appropriate power is—

(a) Part 1 of this Act in the case of a revision of the regional spatial strategy;

(b) section 60 above in the case of the Wales Spatial Plan or any revision of it;

(c) Part 2 of this Act in the case of a development plan document or any revision of it;

(d) sections 62 to 78 above in the case of a local development plan or any revision of it;

(e) sections 334 to 343 of the Greater London Authority Act 1999 (c. 29) in the case of the spatial development strategy or any alteration or replacement of it.

(10) A procedural requirement is a requirement under the appropriate power or contained in regulations or an order made under that power which relates to the adoption, publication or approval of a relevant document.

(11) References to the relevant date must be construed as follows—

(a) for the purposes of a revision of the regional spatial strategy, the date when the Secretary of State publishes the revised strategy under section 9(6) above;

(b) for the purposes of the Wales Spatial Plan (or a revision of it), the date when it is approved by the National Assembly for Wales;

(c) for the purposes of a development plan document (or a revision of it), the date when it is adopted by the local planning authority or approved by the Secretary of State (as the case may be);

(d) for the purposes of a local development plan (or a revision of it), the date when it is adopted by a local planning authority in Wales or approved by the National Assembly for Wales (as the case may be);

(e) for the purposes of the spatial development strategy (or an alteration or replacement of it), the date when the Mayor of London publishes it.