Any planning application has to include a plan with a red line shown
around the land in the applicant's control - ie, usually ownership. If
the applicant does not own it, they have to serve notice to the actual
owner(s) of the land in question under a section of the Town and
Country Planning Act (1990). A recent case proves that any consent
granted without this notice being served is void. It may be, some
planning authorities do not worry too much over such detail. As far as
I understand matters, they should be concerned over the legal points.