UPRN stands for Unique Property Reference Number.
It is a unique identifier assigned to every addressable location in the United Kingdom. This reference number helps in accurately identifying and locating individual properties and is commonly used in various databases and systems related to property management, planning, and public services.
What we have noticed is that housing developers in our locality often submit applications for:
a)
A screening opinion, which is supposed to be a carefully designed process to advise developers on whether an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is required to be submitted with a planning application. However, based on the data we have analysed so far, it seems that this process may be imperfect, to say the least. (To be continued…)
b)
An outline planning application, also known as a planning application in principle, is a type of planning application submitted to a local planning authority to obtain initial approval for a proposed development project on a specific piece of land.
Developers often submit screening for EIA or OPA applications before obtaining the necessary permissions to commence construction. These applications serve various purposes, such as assessing risks, estimating potential profits, so ‘testing the waters’ before committing resources to a complete development application or purchasing a potential building plot. Regardless of their nature, all planning applications should be associated with a Unique Property Reference Number (UPRN).
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We can utilize this pattern of behaviour as part of our risk identification protocol in areas of interest, such as near our own homes, in our village, or in our ward. For instance, if there is a Screening Opinion Application to determine if an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is necessary and/or when there is an Outline Planning Application (also known as Application in Principles) registered against a particular plot of land, it indicates attempts to build on it. It is also important to consider failed or withdrawn planning applications as part of the scope of identifying areas that could potentially be targeted by housing developers.
Why the EHDC Public Access, Planning Application and Consultation System – to put it lightly – has deficiencies is a separate story of ours (To be continued…).