Town and Country Planning Act 1990

284 Validity of development plans and certain orders, decisions and directions. E+W

(1) Except in so far as may be provided by this Part, the validity of—

(a) F1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(b) a simplified planning zone scheme or an alteration of such a scheme, whether before or after the adoption or approval of the scheme or alteration; or

(c) an order under any provision of Part X except section 251(1), whether before or after the order has been made; or

(d) an order under section 277, whether before or after the order has been made; or

(e) any such order as is mentioned in subsection (2), whether before or after it has been confirmed; or

(f) any such action on the part of the Secretary of State [F2 or the Welsh Ministers] as is mentioned in subsection (3), [F3 or—

(g) a relevant costs order made in connection with an order mentioned in subsection (2) or an action mentioned in subsection (3),]

shall not be questioned in any legal proceedings whatsoever.

(2) The orders referred to in subsection (1)(e) are—

(a) any order under section 97 or under the provisions of that section as applied by or under any other provision of this Act;

(b) any order under section 102;

(c) any tree preservation order;

(d) any order made in pursuance of section 221(5);

(e) any order under paragraph 1, 3, 5 or 6 of Schedule 9.

(3) The action referred to in subsection (1)(f) is action on the part of the Secretary of State [F4 or the Welsh Ministers] of any of the following descriptions—

[F5 (ya) any decision on an application made to the Secretary of State under section 62A;]

[F6 (za) any decision on an application referred to the Secretary of State under section 76A;]

(a) any decision on an application [F7 for planning permission] referred to [F8 him] [F8 the Secretary of State or the Welsh Ministers] under section 77;

[F9 (aa) any decision on an application made to the Welsh Ministers under section 62D;

(ab) any decision on a secondary consent dealt with by the Welsh Ministers under section 62F, unless, by virtue of an enactment not contained in this Act—

(i) an appeal against that decision may be made to a person other than the Welsh Ministers, or

(ii) the validity of the decision may otherwise be questioned by way of application to a person other than the Welsh Ministers;

(ac) any decision on an application made to the Welsh Ministers under section 62M or section 62O (not including a decision to refer an application under section 62O(5));]

(b) any decision on an appeal under section 78;

[F10 (ba) any decision on an appeal under section 93I;]

F11 (c) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(d) any decision to confirm a completion notice under section 95;

(e) any decision to grant planning permission under paragraph (a) of section 177(1) or to discharge a condition or limitation under paragraph (b) of that section;

(f) any decision to confirm or not to confirm a purchase notice including—

(i) any decision not to confirm such a notice in respect of part of the land to which it relates, or

(ii) any decision to grant any permission, or give any direction, instead of confirming such a notice, either wholly or in part;

(g) any decision F12 . . . on an appeal under section 195(1);

(h) any decision relating—

(i) to an application for consent under [F13 a tree preservation order] [F13 tree preservation regulations],

(ii) to an application for consent under any regulations made in accordance with section 220 or 221, or

(iii) to any certificate or direction under any such order or regulations,

whether it is a decision on appeal or a decision on an application referred to the Secretary of State [F14 or the Welsh Ministers] for determination in the first instance.

[F15 (i) any decision on an application for planning permission [F16 or permission in principle] [F17 to the Welsh Ministers] under section 293A.]

[F18 (j) any decision on an application made to the Secretary of State under section 293B, 293D or 293E][F19 , or

(k) any determination by the Secretary of State whether to approve a biodiversity gain plan under Schedule 7A (biodiversity gain in England).]

[F20 (3A) In this section, “relevant costs order” means an order made under section 250(5) of the Local Government Act 1972 (orders as to costs of parties), as applied by virtue of any provision of this Act.]

(4) Nothing in this section shall affect the exercise of any jurisdiction of any court in respect of any refusal or failure on the part of the Secretary of State [F21 or the Welsh Ministers] to take any such action as is mentioned in subsection (3).

Textual Amendments

F1 S. 284(1)(a) repealed (28.9.2004 (E.), 15.10.2005 (W.)) by Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (c. 5), ss. 118, 120, 121, Sch. 6 para. 8, Sch. 9 (with s. 111); S.I. 2004/2202, art. 2, Sch. 1 (subject to transitional provisions and savings in art. 4); S.I. 2005/2847, art. 2, Sch. 1 (subject to transitional provisions and savings in art. 3)

F2 Words in s. 284(1)(f) inserted (6.9.2015 for specified purposes, 1.3.2016 for specified purposes) by Planning (Wales) Act 2015 (anaw 4), s. 58(2)(b)(4)(b), Sch. 4 para. 15(2); S.I. 2016/52, art. 3(e)

F3 S. 284(1)(g) and word inserted (26.10.2015) by Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015 (c. 2), s. 95(1), Sch. 16 para. 2(a); S.I. 2015/1778, art. 3(b)(ii) (with art. 4(a))

F4 Words in s. 284(3) inserted (6.9.2015 for specified purposes, 1.3.2016 for specified purposes) by Planning (Wales) Act 2015 (anaw 4), s. 58(2)(b)(4)(b), Sch. 4 para. 15(3)(a); S.I. 2016/52, art. 3(e)

F5 S. 284(3)(ya) inserted (9.5.2013 for E. for specified purposes, 1.10.2013 for specified purposes, 1.10.2014 in so far as not already in force) by Growth and Infrastructure Act 2013 (c. 27), s. 35(1), Sch. 1 para. 9; S.I. 2013/1124, art. 2; S.I. 2013/2143, art. 2(1)(a); S.I. 2014/1531, art. 2

F6 S. 284(3)(za) inserted (6.4.2009) by Planning Act 2008 (c. 29), ss. 191(2), 241 (with s. 226); S.I. 2009/400, art. 3 (with art. 6)

F7 Words in s. 284(3)(a) repealed (6.4.2009 for E. and otherwise prosp.) by Planning Act 2008 (c. 29), ss. 191(3), 238, 241, Sch. 13 (with s. 226); S.I. 2009/400, art. 5, Sch. Pt. 2

F8 Words in s. 284(3)(a) substituted (6.9.2015 for specified purposes, 1.3.2016 for specified purposes) by Planning (Wales) Act 2015 (anaw 4), s. 58(2)(b)(4)(b), Sch. 4 para. 15(3)(b); S.I. 2016/52, art. 3(e)

F9 S. 284(3)(aa)-(ac) inserted (6.9.2015 for specified purposes, 1.3.2016 for specified purposes) by Planning (Wales) Act 2015 (anaw 4), s. 58(2)(b)(4)(b), Sch. 4 para. 15(3)(c); S.I. 2016/52, art. 3(e)

F10 S. 284(3)(ba) inserted (26.12.2023) by Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 (c. 55), s. 255(3), Sch. 11 para. 7 (with s. 247)

F11 S. 284(3)(c) repealed (25.9.1991) by Planning and Compensation Act 1991 (c. 34, SIF 123:1), ss. 31, 84(6), Sch. 6 para. 24, Sch. 19 Pt. II (with s. 84(5)); S.I. 1991/2067, art. 3 (subject to art. 4)

F12 Words in s. 284(3)(g) repealed (27.7.1992) by Planning and Compensation Act 1991 (c. 34, SIF 123:1), ss. 32, 84(6), Sch. 7 para. 41, Sch. 19 Pt.I (with s. 84(5)); S.I. 1992/1630, art. 2, Schs. 1, 2 (with art. 3(1))

F13 Words in s. 284(3)(h)(i) substituted (6.4.2012 for E.) by Planning Act 2008 (c. 29), s. 241(3)(4), Sch. 8 para. 17 (with s. 226); S.I. 2012/601, art. 2(a)

F14 Words in s. 284(3)(h) inserted (6.9.2015 for specified purposes, 1.3.2016 for specified purposes) by Planning (Wales) Act 2015 (anaw 4), s. 58(2)(b)(4)(b), Sch. 4 para. 15(3)(d); S.I. 2016/52, art. 3(e)

F15 S. 284(3)(i) inserted (6.8.2004 for certain purposes, 7.6.2006 otherwise) by Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (c. 5), ss. 82(2), 121 (with s. 111); S.I. 2004/ 2097, {art. 2}; S.I. 2006/1281, art. 2

F16 Words in s. 284(3)(i) inserted (13.7.2016) by Housing and Planning Act 2016 (c. 22), s. 216(3), Sch. 12 para. 31; S.I. 2016/733, reg. 3(d)

F17 Words in s. 284(3)(i) inserted (26.12.2023 for specified purposes) by Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 (c. 55), s. 255(3), Sch. 10 para. 6(a) (with s. 247)

F18 S. 284(3)(j) inserted (26.12.2023 for specified purposes) by Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 (c. 55), s. 255(3), Sch. 10 para. 6(b) (with s. 247)

F19 S. 284(3)(k) and word inserted (12.2.2024) by The Biodiversity Gain (Town and Country Planning) (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/49), regs. 1(2), 9; S.I. 2024/44, reg. 2(1)(e)

F20 S. 284(3A) inserted (26.10.2015) by Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015 (c. 2), s. 95(1), Sch. 16 para. 2(b); S.I. 2015/1778, art. 3(b)(ii) (with art. 4(a))

F21 Words in s. 284(4) inserted (6.9.2015 for specified purposes, 1.3.2016 for specified purposes) by Planning (Wales) Act 2015 (anaw 4), s. 58(2)(b)(4)(b), Sch. 4 para. 15(4); S.I. 2016/52, art. 3(e)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 284 extended (25.9.1991) by Planning and Compensation Act 1991 (c. 34, SIF 123:1), s. 22, Sch. 2 para. 9 (3) (with s. 84(5)); S.I. 1991/2067, art. 3 (subject to art. 4)

Ss. 284-288 modified (1.11.1995) by 1995 c. 25, s. 96, Sch. 13 para. 16(4) (with ss. 7(6), 115, 117); S.I. 1995/2765, art. 2

Ss. 284-288 modified (1.11.1995) by 1995 c. 25, s. 96, Sch. 14 para. 9(4) (with ss. 7(6), 115, 117); S.I. 1995/2765, art. 2

C2 Ss. 284, 288 modified (W.) (8.1.2010) by The Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Undetermined Reviews of Old Mineral Permissions) (Wales) Regulations 2009 (S.I. 2009/3342), reg. 54(2)