The new guidelines also outline the required information for supporting a planning application. This will allow the authorities to make clearer decisions on whether to validate an application, but is also intended to benefit the end-user through greater clarity of the validation requirements.

The new town and country planning reforms, which came into affect in April 2008, specify that all planning requests must be made with up-to-date mapping at 1:1250, 1:2500 scale plus a 1:200 block plan may be required for certain applications. CENTREMAPS has therefore come up with a high value solution that enables project managers to adopt best practice when it comes to accessing and using mapping data for Great Britain.

Within the national requirements, the guidelines specify that the land plan, showing the area to which the application relates, should be drawn to an identified scale, showing the direction of north. Sourcing a licensed plan from a reliable Ordnance Survey Licensed partner such as CENTREMAPS will ensure that these requirements are met.

1.	The full project brief and the functional requirements of the development should be established
2.	The physical dimensions, the condition, character and constraints of the site should be surveyed and appraised
3.	National and local government planning policy for the development of the site should be identified Clarification should (if necessary) be sought and discussed with relevant authorities
4.	If appropriate, the technological, energy and sustainability requirements for the development should be established
5.	The site should be considered and analysed in relation to its immediate surroundings and its wider urban and/or landscape setting. This does not of necessity mean that the new development should be equal in design, form, mass or height with its surroundings
6.	The impact of the brief and function in relation to the site, setting, local and national policies, the relevant community or communities and the immediate and wider environment should be considered
7.	Where appropriate, investigations or consultations should be undertaken with affected interests, authorities or communities
8.	Clear and demonstrable design principles or a design vision should be established. These principles or this vision should be compatible with the criteria and interests established above
9.	A design should be prepared that is consistent throughout with the design principles or vision. The design should include consideration of space, mass, volume, plan, materials and the composition of elements
10.	The application should sufficiently illustrate the design and its expression of the design principles or design vision and the wider impact of the development. Consideration should be given to the scope and the presentation, which may need to include special drawings, diagrams, models or any other descriptive media

Notes
The level of input for each item will vary considerably according to the scale or type of development. Some procedures go beyond the RIBA-recommended work stages for the preparation of an application for full development control approval. Other professionals or experts may be responsible for some items or tasks.