What is the CBA Planning Casework Database?

Updated

The CBA Planning Casework Database (hosted at casework.jcnas.org.uk) is an online service run by the Council for British Archaeology (CBA) on behalf of the Joint Committee of the National Amenity Societies (JCNAS). It holds information about planning proposals that JCNAS has received for comment. If you want to know what the site is, who runs it, and what it contains, this page explains that directly.

Who operates the database

The site is not a standalone CBA project. It is operated by the Council for British Archaeology acting on behalf of JCNAS — the Joint Committee of the National Amenity Societies. That distinction matters: the CBA provides and runs the service, while JCNAS is the body whose casework the database records.

What the database contains

The database is described as the Historic Environment Casework Database. Its content is:

  • Information relating to planning proposals received by JCNAS for comment.
  • Material tied to the historic environment casework that JCNAS handles.

In other words, it is a record of planning cases that have come to JCNAS, not a general planning portal or a public consultation platform for all applications.

What you can do on the site

The homepage presents a Quick search and a Login, alongside main navigation. The presence of a login indicates that at least part of the service is account-based rather than fully open. The site also points users to its Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy, which you should read before using the resource.

If you have questions about the service, the site directs you to contact the operators directly.

When this resource is useful

This database is relevant if you:

  • Need to check whether a particular planning proposal was received by JCNAS for comment.
  • Are researching historic environment casework and want to see what JCNAS has been consulted on.
  • Are involved in amenity society or heritage planning work and need a reference point for JCNAS casework.

It is not a general-purpose planning application search for every local authority, and it does not replace the official planning registers of individual councils.

Practical notes

  • Access: A login option exists, so expect some content or functions to require an account. The available page evidence does not state whether access is free, so treat that as unconfirmed.
  • Scope: Focused on JCNAS-received planning proposals concerning the historic environment.
  • Operator: Council for British Archaeology, on behalf of JCNAS.
  • Terms: Review the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy before relying on the data.

For anything beyond that — specific case details, access conditions, or queries about a proposal — the site itself directs you to contact the operators.