Minor amendment (UK Planning)

Minor Amendments (also known as minor material amendments) are insignificant variation in a detail and details in planning permission in the United Kingdom.[1] These are variations that do not raise any new issues which would warrant the submission of a fresh Planning application. They would allow for small changes to be made often as a result of modifications arising for practical reasons during the course of construction.

These non significant amendments are described as ‘non-material’ under Section 96A of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.[1][2]

Many local authorities had established protocols for dealing with such amendments.

The legal basis upon which this is allowed has recently been challenged in Case law, notably:-

  • Reprotech (Pebsham) Ltd v East Sussex CC (Lords)[3]
  • Henry Boot Homes Ltd v Bassetlaw DC (Court of Appeal)
  • Sage v Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (Lords)
  • Pioneer Aggregates Ltd v Secretary of State for the Environment [1985] 1AC

References

  1. ^ a b "Non-material amendment of an existing planning permission". Planning Portal. Retrieved 21 October 2025.
  2. ^ Minor material amendment, retrieved 21 October 2025
  3. ^ "R v East Sussex County Council, ex parte Reprotech (Pebsham) Ltd". RICS. 21 November 2018. Retrieved 21 October 2025.