The Government is being advised to rethink and revise substantial alterations to the national planning system. Rother District Council has officially communicated with Housing and Planning Minister Matthew Pennycook MP, articulating concerns regarding the new ‘National Scheme of Delegation.’ The council contends that this scheme will substantially diminish the influence of locally elected councillors in determining planning applications.
Scheduled to be implemented on 31 October of this year, the new regulations establish a uniform national framework that dictates which planning applications are to be decided by planning officers and which by planning committees. These changes would preclude numerous planning applications, including those for up to nine new homes, from ever being reviewed by planning committees across England.
In its correspondence to the Government, the council has issued a warning that the proposed changes will lead to:
- A reduction in local democratic oversight.
- The removal of councillors’ authority to refer planning applications to a committee.
- Limited opportunities for communities to voice their opinions on developments impacting their areas.
Furthermore, the council has voiced apprehension that a singular national approach fails to acknowledge the distinct characteristics of rural and protected regions, such as the High Weald National Landscape.
Councillor Teresa Killeen MBE, the council’s portfolio holder for planning, stated: “These changes strike at the heart of local democracy. Planning decisions shape the future of our towns, villages and countryside, and local people rightly expect their elected representatives to have a meaningful say in those decisions. Rother is not the same as a major city authority, and a one-size-fits-all national system risks overlooking our unique challenges. While we support efforts to improve the efficiency of the planning system, this must not come at the expense of transparency, accountability and local decision-making. We are urging the Government to think again and work with councils to develop an approach that delivers timely planning decisions while preserving the vital role of locally elected councillors.”
The council’s letter was dispatched by Council Leader Cllr Doug Oliver, following a council notice of motion.
