Source Verification and Manual Checking Policy

Source Verification and Manual Checking Policy

How we manually test and review official planning links, council details, maps, phone numbers, addresses, and information sources.

Manual source checksOfficial links testedMaps and addresses reviewedOngoing monitoring

Source Verification and Manual Checking Policy

ukplanningportal.org/ uses a manual source-checking process for important planning information. Because planning procedures are local and can change by council, our content is not based on one generic assumption. We check official sources where available and tell users to verify final action with the relevant authority.

Sources We Prefer

  • GOV.UK planning and building control guidance.
  • The official Planning Portal and its application guidance.
  • Local planning authority and council planning pages.
  • Public planning application registers and decision notice pages.
  • Building control and local authority building control pages.
  • Planning Inspectorate guidance where appeal topics are involved.
  • Legislation and official policy documents where needed for higher-risk topics.

Details We Manually Check

  • Official planning search links.
  • Public council contact pages.
  • Planning department names and office roles.
  • Published addresses and map references where visible.
  • Public phone numbers and online enquiry routes where available.
  • Planning application, appeal, building control, and fee guidance links.

Manual Link Testing Workflow

Identify the official source: We look for government, council, Planning Portal, or official register pages rather than relying on copied listings.
Check that the page opens: We test important links where possible and avoid linking to pages that appear broken, outdated, or unrelated.
Match the link to the task: A planning search page is different from a building control page, and a council contact page is different from the official Planning Portal application service.
Add useful context: We explain what a user should do after opening the official source.
Monitor and correct: If an official page changes or a reader reports an issue, we review and update the content.

Verification Limit

Manual checking improves quality, but it cannot guarantee that every council link, phone number, address, form, map, fee, or deadline remains current at every moment. Councils can redesign websites, change portals, and update processes. Always verify final details on the official source before acting.