Modernising planning committees: A new era for developers? 

The UK Government’s latest working paper on planning committees signals a significant shift in the decision-making process for planning applications. As part of a broader agenda to accelerate development and streamline the planning system, these proposed reforms aim to modernise the way planning committees operate, ensuring efficiency, consistency, and transparency. 

For developers, these changes could mean greater certainty, fewer delays, and a more predictable pathway to securing planning approvals, but how would this work in practice? Here we decipher the contents of the working paper on planning committees and its likely implications for commercial developers.

Reform

The Government’s central ambition with its proposed planning reforms if is to ‘get Britain building’. The working paper on planning committees sets out key concerns with the current structure, highlighting inefficiencies and inconsistencies that often frustrate developers.

At present, a lack of clarity over delegation schemes means that developers are frequently left uncertain about whether their applications will be determined by officers or planning committees. Delays arise when committees reconsider applications that already align with local development plans, leading to costly appeals that often overturn initial refusals, wasting developers’ time and money for no reason.

To address these challenges, the Government proposes three main reforms: the introduction of a national scheme of delegation, the creation of targeted planning committees for strategic developments, and mandatory training for committee members. These measures, if implemented, would require legislative change through the forthcoming Planning and Infrastructure Bill.

The national scheme of delegation

One of the most significant proposals is the introduction of a standardised national scheme of delegation, designed to clarify which applications should be decided by officers and which require committee scrutiny. The working paper outlines three potential approaches:

• Delegation based on compliance with the development plan: Applications that align with an up-to-date local plan would be determined by planning officers, ensuring that schemes already approved in principle are not unnecessarily delayed. At present however only a third of local authorities have up-to-date development plans.
• Delegation as the default, with limited exceptions: This model would automatically delegate all decisions to officers unless the application represents a departure from the local plan (if any) and is recommended for approval, or involves the Local Authority itself.
• A prescriptive list of exceptions: Committees would only consider specific categories of applications, such as major developments not on allocated sites, developments requiring Environmental Impact Assessments, or those impacting designated heritage assets.

Each option presents distinct benefits and challenges, with the Government considering a hybrid approach to balance efficiency with democratic oversight. The move towards a more predictable and consistent delegation process will be welcomed by SME developers, who often face uncertainty about the timeline and scrutiny level of their applications which increases costs in already-stretched development appraisals.

Strategic planning committees for major developments

The working paper also proposes the establishment of smaller, dedicated planning committees focused solely on strategic developments. These committees would be tasked with overseeing large-scale projects that have long-term implications for housing and economic growth. By concentrating expertise and decision-making authority in a specialised body, the Government aims to ensure that complex applications receive informed and consistent scrutiny.

For developers working on major projects, this could provide a more reliable and knowledgeable decision-making forum, potentially reducing the risks associated with committee refusals that contradict officer recommendations. However, questions remain regarding the composition of these committees, particularly whether they should include independent experts alongside elected councillors.  Will the political will be there?

Mandatory training for committee members

A final and critical proposal is the introduction of mandatory training for planning committee members. At present, the knowledge and expertise of committee members vary widely across Local Authorities, sometimes leading to decisions based on inadequate understanding of planning law and policy. The Government intends to address this by requiring councillors to complete certified training before participating in planning decisions.

For developers, this could be a game-changer. A better-informed planning committee would likely lead to more consistent and legally sound decisions, reducing the number of applications refused on questionable grounds only to be overturned on appeal.

The developer perspective: How will the industry respond?

From a developer’s standpoint, the proposed reforms have the potential to create a more streamlined and predictable planning system. The delegation of compliant applications to officers should reduce unnecessary delays, while strategic committees for major developments could provide a more specialised decision-making process. Additionally, ensuring that committee members have adequate training could lead to fewer subjective or politically motivated refusals.

However, concerns remain. The balance between efficiency and local democratic oversight will need to be carefully managed. Developers may be cautious about the prospect of local authorities retaining discretion over what constitutes a ‘departure’ from the local plan, as this could reintroduce unpredictability into the process. Similarly, while mandatory training is a positive step, its effectiveness will depend on the quality and depth of the training provided. Just as importantly, there will need to be a strong push to create new local plans for the two thirds of authorities that don’t have one.

The Government has invited feedback from the sector before finalising these proposals. Developers and planning professionals should engage in this process to help shape a system that promotes both efficiency and fairness.

As the Planning and Infrastructure Bill progresses, the industry will be watching closely to see how these proposals evolve, and how they will ultimately impact the delivery of much-needed development across England and Wales.