English mayors to get power to override councils on major planning bids
England’s mayors are set to gain new powers to step in on major planning applications, in a move aimed at speeding up housebuilding and large
England’s mayors are set to gain new powers to step in on major planning applications, in a move aimed at speeding up housebuilding and large regeneration schemes. The change will let them override local councils on some decisions, bringing several city-region leaders closer to the powers already used by London’s mayor.
The new rules would apply to proposals for more than 150 homes, commercial developments of more than 15,000 square metres, or buildings taller than 30 metres. That covers projects roughly from 10 storeys up, and some of the biggest developments likely to shape city skylines.
What the powers change
Mayors in 13 areas, including Manchester, Liverpool, the West of England and the West Midlands, will be able to “call in” planning decisions in a similar way to Sir Sadiq Khan in London. The power will also cover mayoral areas in North East England, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, York and North Yorkshire, Hull and East Yorkshire, Greater Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, the East Midlands and Tees Valley.
In practice, that means a mayor could direct a council to take a scheme forward or refuse it. They will also be able to grant upfront permission, allowing developers to start building without going through a fresh application.
Short version: more say, higher stakes.
Why ministers say it matters
Housing minister Matthew Pennycook said the powers were an “essential part of the toolkit” mayors need to deliver new homes and regeneration. He also argued that London’s “call in” system had helped the capital’s mayor unblock strategic growth sites, even as housebuilding there has fallen in recent years.
The government has already set out a broader push to hand more powers, funding and responsibility to English mayors. Under that plan, mayors will keep a share of income tax and business rates revenues, part of what ministers have called the biggest transfer of power from Westminster in a generation.
Local pushback, and a wider devolution shift
The Conservatives questioned whether councils should lose the ability to make planning decisions in their own communities. That argument is likely to echo in places where local leaders have long guarded their say over housing and development.
Andy Burnham, the Manchester figure expected to unveil the changes next week, said devolving powers to mayors could sometimes mean challenging local decision-making. He said it worked both ways: not every objection came from residents wary of change, and not every council-backed scheme suited the community.
The debate lands as more areas press for their own regional mayors. In Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland, business, education and political leaders are campaigning for a strategic mayoral authority, arguing the area is falling behind places that already have one. The next phase of England’s planning fight will now play out not just in council chambers, but in the hands of mayors with a broader brief — and a much bigger say over what gets built.
