From 31 October 2026, the way planning applications are decided in England is changing.
The Government is introducing a new National Scheme of Delegation, designed to create a more consistent approach to deciding which applications are dealt with by planning officers and which are referred to a planning committee.
At the moment, each local authority operates its own system. In some areas, councillors can “call in” applications to committee, while elsewhere a certain number of objections may trigger committee consideration. The new system is intended to reduce those differences and make the route to a decision more predictable.
More Applications Will Be Decided by Officers
Under the new approach, many applications will be determined by professional planning officers without going before committee.
These include householder applications, minor commercial development, smaller residential schemes, discharge of conditions, prior approvals, non-material amendments and certificates of lawfulness.
For applicants, this is important. A scheme does not necessarily need to be very small to be delegated. Residential developments of up to nine homes on sites below 0.5 hectares can fall within the category that must normally be decided by officers.
This should help reduce the number of routine applications going to committee and allow councillors to concentrate on proposals with wider local significance.
When Can an Application Still Go to Committee?
Larger or more sensitive applications can still be referred to committee, but referral will no longer be automatic.
For committee consideration to be justified, the proposal must raise a significant economic, social or environmental issue for the local area, or a significant planning matter when assessed against the development plan and other material considerations.
A nominated senior planning officer and a nominated committee member must also agree that committee consideration is appropriate.
This means that simply receiving a large number of objections will not automatically send an application to committee. Likewise, the traditional councillor “call-in” process will no longer operate in the same way.
Why Does This Matter for Applicants?
The biggest practical change is that the written planning case becomes even more important.
If an application is going to be determined by an officer, there may be no opportunity to address councillors directly at a committee meeting. Applicants therefore need to ensure that the submitted plans, technical information and planning justification clearly explain why the proposal is acceptable from the outset.
It will also be increasingly important to respond quickly and constructively to any concerns raised during determination, as the officer dealing with the application may ultimately be responsible for making the decision.
The changes could also provide greater certainty over timescales by reducing the number of applications waiting for committee dates.
A More Consistent System?
The intention behind the reforms is straightforward: allow planning officers to determine routine applications and reserve committee time for the cases that genuinely raise significant local issues.
However, the new system also makes good planning strategy more important than ever.
Understanding whether your application is likely to be delegated, identifying potential issues early and presenting a clear planning case could have a direct bearing on how smoothly the application progresses.
At Ethical Planning, we can help applicants understand how the new delegation arrangements apply to their proposals, prepare robust planning submissions and liaise with local planning authorities throughout the determination process.
If you are preparing a planning application and would like advice on how the changes may affect your project, please get in touch with our team.