Mayors given call in powers over major planning decisions

Mayors across England are to be given ‘call in’ powers allowing them to take the most significant planning decisions in their areas, the Prime Minister’s Office has announced. Under proposals due to be published next week, a mayor will be able to take over a planning application that affects local growth and direct the relevant council to approve or refuse it, bringing mayors outside London into line with powers the Mayor of London already holds. The move has been backed by ten mayors from different parties.

National thresholds for the power are being set outside London for the first time. In scope will be schemes of more than 150 homes, more than 15,000 square metres of commercial space, or any building over 30 metres, roughly ten storeys. Mayors will also be able to grant permission for development in advance, allowing building to begin without a developer having to submit an application.

Councils will continue to decide the majority of planning applications, and the government points to several already delivering homes above their requirement, citing Salford, which delivered 7,584 homes against a requirement of 4,249 over the last three years, Leeds, which delivered 11,690 against a requirement of 10,151, and Knowsley, which delivered 1,888 against a requirement of 772. Every decision taken under the new power must still follow planning rules, the local plan and national policy, applicants retain the right of appeal, and ministers retain a backstop power to intervene themselves.

Mayors will also gain a bigger say over how national housing funding is spent in their areas. Homes England will continue to lead on the largest projects, but its funding and expertise will be focused on priorities agreed locally. A £1.3 billion portion of the national fund for land and infrastructure has already been allocated to the seven most established mayoral areas, alongside £234 million of brownfield funding to seven mayoral strategic authorities and £1.5 billion committed for devolution through the Housing Accelerator Fund.

Mayors outside London will additionally be able to charge a levy on development to fund major infrastructure, using the same mechanism that helped fund the Elizabeth line.