Mayors across England are to be given ‘call in’ powers to take the most important planning decisions in their areas
Under proposals to be published next week, a mayor will be able to take over key planning applications that affect local growth and direct a council to proceed or refuse them.
The move has been backed by ten mayors from different parties and will bring mayors across the country in line with powers the mayor of London already has.
Mayoral planning powers have been extended outside of London for the first time
The national thresholds are being set outside London for the first time: schemes with more than 150 homes, more than 15,000 square metres of commercial space, or any building over 30 metres or taller (roughly ten storeys) will be in scope.
Mayors can also grant upfront permission for development, so building can begin without a developer having to apply.
Homes are being built more quickly under local planning rules
Councils will continue to decide most applications, and many are already building homes at scale.
Over the last three years, Salford has delivered 7,584 homes against a requirement of 4,249. Leeds has delivered 11,690 homes against a requirement of 10,151, and Knowsley has delivered 1,888 – well over double the requirement of 772 homes.
Every decision must follow the planning rules, the local plan, and national policy. Applicants keep the right of appeal, and ministers retain a backstop power to intervene themselves.
Mayoral powers extended to national housing funding
Mayors will also have a bigger say over how national housing funding is spent in their areas. Homes England will still lead the biggest projects, but its funding and expertise will focus on the priorities agreed by local mayors.
A £1.3bn portion of the national fund for land and infrastructure has already been allocated to the seven most established mayoral areas, with an additional £234m of brownfield funding to seven MSAs, and £1.5bn committed for devolution through the Housing Accelerator Fund.
Mayors outside London will also be able to charge a levy on development to fund major infrastructure, using the same tool that helped deliver the Elizabeth line, which has boosted rail capacity, supported housing growth and regeneration, and become the UK’s busiest railway service.
Commenting on the new plans, Tom Arnold, policy manager at CIH, said: “The proposed planning powers for mayors announced today could have a significant impact on how decisions about the development of new homes are made.
“The government has announced its intention to rewire the state, giving more power to regional and local leaders over decisions that affect the communities they represent. Planning has a major role to play in achieving this vision, and these new powers – if used properly – could help deliver more homes and infrastructure to meet local needs.
“The government will need to support mayoral strategic authorities to build capacity if these new powers are to be used effectively. Local authority planning departments are also under pressure, with staff shortages and budget cuts impacting the ability of councils to determine applications and plan for the future. Devolution will only work effectively if local authorities as mayoral strategic authorities are properly resourced and empowered to work together.”
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