Mayors to Get Powers to Overrule Local Councils on Planning Decisions
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Kate Whannel, political reporter, PA Media
Mayors across England will be given new powers to overrule local councils on some planning decisions. The change would apply to proposals including:
- More than 150 homes
- More than 15,000 square metres of commercial space
- Buildings over 30 metres tall
Mayors in 13 areas including Manchester, Liverpool, the West of England and the West Midlands will gain similar powers to Sir Sadiq Khan in London, who is already able to "call in" planning decisions.
Matthew Pennycook, Housing Minister, stated these powers were an "essential part of the toolkit that mayors need to effectively deliver new homes and regeneration."
The Conservatives questioned whether it was right for councils to lose the "ability to make planning decisions in their own communities".
These powers will also be available to mayors in:
- North East England Combined Authority
- South Yorkshire
- West Yorkshire
- York and North Yorkshire
- Hull and East Yorkshire
- Greater Lincolnshire
- Cambridgeshire and Peterborough
- East Midlands
- Tees Valley
Housebuilding has fallen in London in recent years, but Pennycook insisted the "call in" powers had helped the mayor "unblock strategic growth sites" in the capital.
In the 2024 general election, the Labour government promised to build 1.5 million homes in England by the end of the decade, a target that housebuilders have warned could be missed. Pennycook reaffirmed the government's commitment to this goal.
Beyond gaining new "call-in" powers, mayors are set to be able to grant "up-front permission", which the government claims will expedite building without developers needing to apply.
A consultation on how these powers will work is due to be published next week. The government emphasizes that local councils will continue to decide the majority of applications and all decisions must adhere to planning rules. National agency Homes England will also focus on local mayors' housing priorities.
New Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who served as mayor for Greater Manchester for nearly a decade, has expressed his desire to transfer more powers to local mayors. "Challenge does need to be made to local decision-making... it cuts both ways," he told the Sunday Times.