Official Links Policy
How we choose, test, label, and monitor official UK planning links, local authority pages, maps, addresses, and public resources.
Official Links Policy
Official links are central to the usefulness of ukplanningportal.org/. A planning user often needs the exact council planning register, application page, building control page, or official guidance page. Our policy is to prefer official and authoritative links, explain what the link is for, and avoid misleading users into thinking our website is the official decision-making service.
Preferred Link Types
- GOV.UK pages about planning permission and building regulations.
- The official Planning Portal for applications and guidance.
- Local authority planning application registers.
- Local authority planning department contact pages.
- Building control body or council building control pages.
- Planning Inspectorate guidance where appeals are discussed.
- Official map, policy, local plan, conservation, and listed building resources where available.
Links We Avoid or Treat Carefully
- Unclear third-party pages that imitate official sources.
- Old PDF copies with no visible official context.
- Forum comments presented as final advice.
- Advertisement pages that appear before official council pages.
- Payment or application pages not clearly connected to an official source.
How We Label and Explain Links
Where a link leads to an official source, our content should explain what the user can do there. For example, “use this council planning register to search by application reference or postcode” is more helpful than simply saying “click here”. We also warn users to check the URL, application reference, property address, fee, deadline, and document list before submitting anything.
External Site Responsibility
When a visitor leaves ukplanningportal.org/, the external website controls its own content, accessibility, privacy, forms, payment process, and accuracy. Users should review the external website carefully before entering personal information, payment details, or application documents.