Guidance notes on the completion of the certificates of ownership

Under Section 66 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, North Yorkshire Council cannot entertain an application for planning permission unless it is accompanied by certain certificates. This is designed to secure owners of land, as well as agricultural tenants, are given notice of applications relating to their land. It is the duty of an applicant to serve the requisite notices on land owners and tenants and to provide the appropriate certificates to the planning authority. You are strongly advised to read the following guidance notes which summarise the material provisions of Section 66 and send the appropriate certificates to North Yorkshire Council when they are duly completed.

Certificate A

If you are the sole owner - freehold or leasehold - of all of the land to which your application relates, including the access to and from a public highway where appropriate, you must complete a Certificate of Ownership A.

Certificate B

If you do not own, or have an interest over the all the land to which your planning application relates, and you know the names and addresses of all the owners, you must serve them a notice under Article 13 and complete a Certificate of Ownership B. This is a formal declaration that you have given the requisite notice, that is notified all the owners of the land to which the application relates, at least 21 days before the date of your application.

Certificate C

If you do not own, or have an interest over the land to which your planning application relates, but you know the names and addresses of some of the owners, but not all of them, you must serve a notice under Article 13 on those known owners and publish a that same notice in a local newspaper. The notice in the newspaper should be published no earlier than 21 days before the date of your application. You must then complete a Certificate of Ownership C.

Certificate D

If you do not own, or have an interest over the land to which your planning application relates, and do not know any of the names and addresses of any of the owners of the land to which the application relates, you must publish a notice under Article 13 in a local newspaper no earlier than 21 days before the date of your application, you must then complete a Certificate of Ownership D.

Guidance

Two copies of the relevant Ownership Certificate should be signed, dated and submitted along with your application. 

Your application will not be considered complete unless it is accompanied by two signed and dated copies of the appropriate Certificate of Ownership.

If your planning application relates to mineral working, it is necessary for you to serve a notice under Article 13 to anyone having an interest in a mineral in the land.

Please note that North Yorkshire Council cannot process an application unless it is accompanied by the appropriate certification.

Important note: any person who knowingly or recklessly issues a certificate which contains a statement which is false or misleading in a material particular is guilty of an offence and is liable to a fine on conviction.