Form N462PC UK: Planning Court Judicial Review Guide

What this document is

Form N462PC is a specialist version of the standard judicial review Acknowledgment of Service, designed for claims allocated to the Planning Court. The Planning Court handles judicial reviews and statutory challenges involving planning permissions, compulsory purchase orders, highways decisions, environmental assessments, and related matters.

When a claimant issues proceedings, the defendant is required to file an Acknowledgment of Service within a set period after being served with the claim form. That document is N462PC. It tells the court whether the defendant accepts or resists the claim, names any other parties who ought to be involved, and can include submissions on how the case should proceed.

For court and tribunal defendants filing a procedural submission only, the form allows that to be indicated briefly. The form also addresses environmental claims that fall under the Aarhus Convention, where specific costs protections may apply. Filing N462PC properly is a procedural step rather than the substantive defence, but the content often shapes how permission for judicial review is decided.

How to use this document

1. Section A: state your position. This is where the defendant indicates whether they intend to contest the claim, contest only part of it, or not contest it at all. If any part of the claim is being resisted, Sections B, C and D also need to be completed. If the claim is not being contested, the defendant can skip to Section F and sign off.
2. Section B: interested parties and contact details. Use this section to name anyone else who has an interest in the outcome, such as a person, organisation, or public body likely to be affected if the decision under challenge is overturned. There is also space to add a telephone number, an email address, and additional address lines where relevant for service of documents.
3. Section C: grounds for contesting. Set out the summary grounds for resisting the claim here. This is not the full defence, but it should give the court a clear picture of why permission should be refused or why the challenge should fail. If you are a court or tribunal defendant filing only a formal submission rather than a substantive response, simply indicate that in this section.
4. Section D: directions sought. Use this space to request any procedural directions you would like the court to make, for example about case management, expedition, or the scope of documents. Keep requests focused and explain briefly why each one would assist the efficient handling of the claim within the Planning Court's timetable.
5. Section E: Aarhus Convention claims. This section only applies where the claimant has marked the case as an Aarhus Convention claim, which concerns environmental matters and carries specific costs protection. If you dispute that the claim qualifies, set out your reasons here. Alternatively, if you want the court to vary the costs limits under CPR 45.43(2), explain why.
6. Section F: statement of truth and service address. The defendant, or someone authorised on their behalf, signs a statement of truth confirming that the facts stated in the form are true and that all relevant matters have been disclosed. Provide an address within the jurisdiction where court documents can be served, and include counsel's details if you have already instructed a barrister.

Common questions