Brad is on the roll of solicitors of England & Wales but does not hold a practising certificate and does not provide legal advice.
Updated June 2026 · England & Wales
If you are bringing or responding to a claim in the Planning Court, the question of where your case is physically heard can matter a great deal. Form N464PC exists precisely for that purpose. It is the application used to ask the court for directions on which regional centre should administer and determine proceedings.
For parties based outside London, or where the planning matter clearly belongs in a particular region, this form gives you a formal route to raise the issue with the court. This page explains what the form does, who tends to complete it, the regional offices the court can direct the claim to, and the factors the judge will weigh when making a decision. It is written for claimants, defendants, interested parties and their representatives who want a straightforward explanation before filing.
What this document is
Form N464PC is a procedural application specific to the Planning Court, which sits as a specialist list within the Administrative Court. Its purpose is narrow but important: it asks the court to give directions about venue, meaning which Administrative Court Office will handle the paperwork and which regional court will hear the case.
The Planning Court deals with judicial review and statutory challenges touching on planning permissions, enforcement, compulsory purchase, highways, environmental decisions and similar public law matters. Because these disputes frequently have a strong local dimension, the rules allow parties to make submissions about where the matter ought to be heard rather than defaulting to London.
The form captures the applicant's details, the preferred venue, and the reasoning behind that preference. It is typically filed alongside the claim or shortly afterwards. A judge then considers the application on the papers and gives directions accordingly. The form does not decide the substantive planning issue itself: it only addresses location and administration.
How to use this document
Identify whether a venue direction is needed. Before completing the form, consider whether the regional connection to your claim is strong enough to justify a direction. If the planning decision, site, claimant or relevant authority is clearly based outside London, a regional venue may be more appropriate and the court will want to hear why.
Fill in the applicant details accurately. Enter the name and address of the party making the application, whether that is the claimant, defendant or an interested party. If a legal representative or litigation friend is completing the form on behalf of someone else, their position or office held should be stated clearly so the court knows who is signing.
Select a preferred regional venue. The form lists the Administrative Court Offices in London, Birmingham, Cardiff, Leeds and Manchester. Choose the office that has the closest connection to your claim. If the court directs the matter outside London, hearings will usually take place at a suitable court on that regional circuit.
Set out your reasons in full. Explain why the chosen venue is appropriate. The general rule is that cases are administered where the claim has its strongest connection, so point to factors such as the location of the site, where the claimant or defendant is based, or where the decision-making body sits. Be specific rather than generic.
File the form and wait for directions. Submit the completed form to the Administrative Court Office along with any supporting material and the claim documents if filing together. A judge will consider the application and issue directions. Until those directions are made, proceed on the basis that the original filing office is handling the matter.
Any party to Planning Court proceedings can apply for a direction as to venue. That includes the claimant bringing the judicial review or statutory challenge, the defendant public body, and any interested party who has been joined to the claim. Legal representatives and, where appropriate, litigation friends can complete the form on behalf of the party they act for.
Q What venues can the court direct the case to?
The Administrative Court operates from five regional offices: London at the Royal Courts of Justice, Birmingham, Cardiff, Leeds and Manchester. The court can direct that the claim is administered at any of these. If the matter is heard outside London, the hearing itself will usually take place at a suitable court within that regional circuit, rather than at the Administrative Court Office building itself.
Q What factors does the court consider?
The starting point is the region with the closest connection to the claim, which often relates to the subject matter, the parties' locations or the relevant decision maker. The court may also consider travel cost and convenience, whether video link attendance is feasible, any public interest in a local hearing, the urgency of the matter, current court workload, and where the legal representatives are based.
Q Is there a fee for filing Form N464PC?
Court fees change from time to time, so check gov.uk for the current amount or ask the Administrative Court Office directly when you file. In some circumstances fees may be reduced or waived through the Help with Fees scheme if the applicant meets the eligibility criteria. It is sensible to confirm the position before filing to avoid delay.
Q When should the application be made?
Ideally, the question of venue should be addressed at the start of proceedings, either when the claim is filed or very shortly afterwards. Raising it early avoids wasted administrative steps at an office that may not end up handling the case. If circumstances change later on, a party can still ask the court to reconsider venue, but timing affects how practical any move will be.
Q Does the choice of venue affect the outcome of the claim?
The venue does not change the substantive law applied, which is the same throughout England and Wales. It can, however, affect practical matters such as travel, the familiarity of local judges with regional planning issues, timing of hearings given court workload, and overall cost. For many parties these practical considerations are significant even though they do not alter the legal test.
Venue decisions in the Planning Court can shape cost, timing and convenience for everyone involved in your claim. An experienced legal adviser can talk through the factors with you on the phone and help you think through what to put forward, based on what you describe.
✓A plain-English explanation of how venue directions work in the Planning Court
✓Practical perspective on which regional office may suit what you describe
✓Guidance on the kinds of reasons the court tends to take seriously
✓Clarity on your next steps before filing the application
Personal call · For information only · Independent advisers
Written & reviewed by
Brad Askew Solicitor (non-practising)
Brad is on the roll of solicitors of England & Wales but does not hold a practising certificate and does not provide legal advice. LegalDocuments.co.uk is not a law firm and does not provide regulated legal advice.
This article is for general information only. It is a tool to help you find your way — not legal advice, and not a substitute for speaking to a qualified adviser about your situation.
