Changes to planning – National Scheme of Delegation
From 31 October 2026, the National Scheme of Delegation will come into force, changing the way planning decisions are made by officers and members of the Planning Committee.
Why are these changes happening?
These are mandatory government reforms to planning committees that mean significant changes in the way the planning process works locally.
Where previously, every local council created its own rules, the new aims to system create one standard rulebook for the whole country, which by law we will now need to follow.
What are the changes?
The new scheme of delegation introduces a two-tier system:
Schedule 1 – these applications will always be delegated to officers. They include:
- householder development
- minor residential development (development that creates 1 to 9 new homes or residential development on a site of less than 0.5 hectares where the number of homes is not specified)
- minor commercial development (development that creates less than 1000 square metres of floorspace and/or is on a site of less than 1 hectare)
- approval of details (also known as discharge of conditions)
- reserved matter approvals on outline applications that are not a large outline permission
- non-material amendments
- certificates of lawfulness
Schedule 2 – applications will be delegated to officers by default but may be referred to committee in exceptional circumstances where they meet specific criteria and pass a Gateway Test. They include:
- any application that is not a householder, minor commercial or minor residential application
- listed building consent, including applications to vary or discharge conditions
- retrospective planning applications
- reserved matters approvals on a large outline permission
- advertisement consent applications
- applications for consent for works under a tree preservation order
Find further information about application types on the government website.
Under the National Scheme of Delegation, existing local arrangements, such as councillor call-in requests or automatic referral to committee where a parish or town council objects, will no longer apply.
Gateway Test
A Schedule 2 application can only be referred to the Planning Committee if it passes a Gateway Test.
We are introducing a Gateway Referral Request process for ward councillors. Councillors may submit a written request for referral explaining why the application meets one or more of the following criteria:
- It raises one or more issues of economic, social or environmental significance to the local area.
- It raises one or more significant planning matters having regard to the development plan.
Planning officers will carry out an Assessment of Significance before deciding whether a referral should be considered.
An application may only be referred to the Planning Committee where both the Chief Planning Officer (or equivalent) and the Nominated Member (expected to be the Chair of the Planning Committee) agree that at least one of the Gateway Test criteria has been met.
How applications will be determined
The way we consult residents, interested parties, and statutory and non-statutory consultees will not change. We will continue to publicise planning applications and invite comments before a decision is made.
All applications will continue to be assessed by planning officers in accordance with the development plan and any other material planning considerations.
Application documents will continue to be published on our online planning register, together with reports and decision notices where available.
For applications that fall within Schedule 2 of the National Scheme of Delegation, we will publish decisions on whether an application is referred to the Planning Committee or determined by officers.
We will add more details to the website once the changes happen.
