N208PC Planning Statutory Review Form UK Guide

What this document is

Form N208PC is the official Part 8 claim form used to begin a planning statutory review in the High Court. It sits under CPR Part 8 and Practice Direction 8C, which together set out the procedure for bringing this kind of claim.

A planning statutory review is different from a standard judicial review: it applies where a specific statute (typically the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 or related planning legislation) gives a direct right to challenge a decision in court. Common examples include challenges to decisions on called-in planning applications, appeal decisions made by the Secretary of State, and decisions of the Planning Inspectorate.

The form is filed at the Planning Court and requires the claimant to set out the decision under challenge, the grounds of review, any urgency considerations, and the remedy sought. Strict time limits apply, often as short as six weeks from the date of the decision, so acting quickly is essential. Permission from the court is usually required before the claim can proceed to a full hearing.

How to use this document

1. Confirm you have a statutory right to challenge. Not every planning decision can be challenged by statutory review. Check which piece of legislation governs the decision you want to contest, and confirm that it gives a right to bring a claim under Part 8 with Practice Direction 8C. If no statutory route exists, judicial review may be the correct procedure instead.
2. Check the filing deadline carefully. Planning statutory review claims carry short, strict time limits measured from the date of the decision rather than when you became aware of it. Six weeks is a common window, but the exact period depends on the governing statute. Missing the deadline will usually end the claim before it starts, so diarise the cut-off immediately.
3. Complete each section of Form N208PC in full. Work through the nine sections methodically: party details, any interested parties under paragraph 4 of PD 8C, the decision challenged, permission to proceed, the detailed statement of grounds, any Aarhus Convention claim, the remedy sought, other applications, and the statement of facts. The grounds section is where the legal argument lives and deserves the most care.
4. Attach the required supporting documents. The claim bundle typically includes the decision being challenged, any relevant correspondence, the statement of facts, and documents referred to in the grounds. Missing paperwork can delay the claim or lead to procedural criticism, so prepare a clear, paginated bundle before filing.
5. File at the Planning Court and serve the defendants. Lodge the completed form and bundle at the Planning Court with the appropriate court fee. Then serve the defendant authority, tribunal or minister, along with any interested parties, within the timescales set by the rules. Proof of service must be retained for the court file.

Common questions