To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the process for restoring planning decision-making powers to local planning authorities designated for poor performance; whether his Department has an indicative timetable or performance criteria for the return of those powers; and...

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the process for restoring planning decision-making powers to local planning authorities designated for poor performance; whether his Department has an indicative timetable or performance criteria for the return of those powers; and...

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he has made an assessment of the adequacy of technical capacity and specialist resources within Local Planning Authorities to evaluate the potential impact of reduced sports facilities in the absence of a statutory consultee requirement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he has made an assessment of the adequacy of technical capacity and specialist resources within Local Planning Authorities to evaluate the potential impact of reduced sports facilities in the absence of a statutory consultee requirement.

My Honourable Friend the Minister of State for Housing and Planning (Matthew Pennycook MP) has today made the following statement:

It is essential that local planning authorities (LPAs) have the resources and skilled planners they need to provide a proactive, efficient planning service for local communities and support housing delivery, economic...

My Honourable Friend the Minister of State for Housing and Planning (Matthew Pennycook MP) has today made the following statement:

It is essential that local planning authorities (LPAs) have the resources and skilled planners they need to provide a proactive, efficient planning service for local communities and support housing delivery, economic...

It is essential that local planning authorities (LPAs) have the resources and skilled planners they need to provide a proactive, efficient planning service for local communities and support housing delivery, economic growth and the provision of infrastructure. Yet we know that planning departments across the country are experiencing challenges with...

It is essential that local planning authorities (LPAs) have the resources and skilled planners they need to provide a proactive, efficient planning service for local communities and support housing delivery, economic growth and the provision of infrastructure. Yet we know that planning departments across the country are experiencing challenges with...

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) was first published in March 2012 and sets out the government's planning policies for England. This briefing focuses on the government's proposals for significant changes to the NPPF which were consulted on between December 2025 and March 2026.

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) was first published in March 2012 and sets out the government's planning policies for England. This briefing focuses on the government's proposals for significant changes to the NPPF which were consulted on between December 2025 and March 2026.

Lords motion to approve. Amendment to regret debated and withdrawn. Original motion agreed to on question.

Lords motion to approve. Amendment to regret debated and withdrawn. Original motion agreed to on question.

My Lords, these regulations were laid before the House on 1 June and, following a minor correction, relaid on 8 June. They set out the arrangements for a national scheme of delegation for planning decisions in England and a maximum limit on the number of members who may sit on...

My Lords, these regulations were laid before the House on 1 June and, following a minor correction, relaid on 8 June. They set out the arrangements for a national scheme of delegation for planning decisions in England and a maximum limit on the number of members who may sit on...

Moved by

Lord Jamieson

Moved by

Lord Jamieson

My Lords, I must first declare my interest as a councillor in Central Bedfordshire. These regulations may appear to be a relatively straightforward implementation of the Planning and Infrastructure Act, but they represent something much more significant. They change one of the fundamental democratic safeguards of our planning system.

Nobody on...

My Lords, I must first declare my interest as a councillor in Central Bedfordshire. These regulations may appear to be a relatively straightforward implementation of the Planning and Infrastructure Act, but they represent something much more significant. They change one of the fundamental democratic safeguards of our planning system.

Nobody on...

I am aware of the time.

I am aware of the time.

I will. I thank the noble Lord very much. This is time limited.

The planning system needs to strike a balance; this system does not. We need to ensure democratic accountability; there is no need to remove it.

6.59 pm

I will. I thank the noble Lord very much. This is time limited.

The planning system needs to strike a balance; this system does not. We need to ensure democratic accountability; there is no need to remove it.

6.59 pm

My Lords, I declare my interest as a vice-president of the Local Government Association. I am pleased to support the amendment moved by my noble friend Lord Jamieson. Having spent many years in local government, including as chair of the Local Government Association, I want to make one simple point....

My Lords, I declare my interest as a vice-president of the Local Government Association. I am pleased to support the amendment moved by my noble friend Lord Jamieson. Having spent many years in local government, including as chair of the Local Government Association, I want to make one simple point....

My Lords,

“the days of Whitehall fighting devolution of power … are over for good”.

Those are not my words; they were the words of the right honourable Member for Makerfield in his speech yesterday morning. I understand that he may soon hold a position of power within the Government, and I...

My Lords,

“the days of Whitehall fighting devolution of power … are over for good”.

Those are not my words; they were the words of the right honourable Member for Makerfield in his speech yesterday morning. I understand that he may soon hold a position of power within the Government, and I...

My Lords, I rise in support of my noble friend Lord Jamieson; in doing so, I remind Members of my interest as vice-president of London Councils.

Most councillors will tell you the value of being able to refer planning decisions to a planning committee for consideration in public. As has just...

My Lords, I rise in support of my noble friend Lord Jamieson; in doing so, I remind Members of my interest as vice-president of London Councils.

Most councillors will tell you the value of being able to refer planning decisions to a planning committee for consideration in public. As has just...

My Lords, I refer to my registered interest as a councillor on Kirklees Council. In my view, this is a developers’ charter. The Government have been hoodwinked into believing that around 5% of all planning applications that currently go to a planning committee for a decision are the basic cause...

My Lords, I refer to my registered interest as a councillor on Kirklees Council. In my view, this is a developers’ charter. The Government have been hoodwinked into believing that around 5% of all planning applications that currently go to a planning committee for a decision are the basic cause...

My Lords, I thank all noble Lords for their thoughtful and strongly expressed contributions to this debate. I understand why those points have been made.

I shall pick out some of the issues that have been raised. I think all noble Lords who spoke raised the issue of why the reform...

My Lords, I thank all noble Lords for their thoughtful and strongly expressed contributions to this debate. I understand why those points have been made.

I shall pick out some of the issues that have been raised. I think all noble Lords who spoke raised the issue of why the reform...

I am really sorry to interrupt. It was not clear when I read the regulations, but is the Minister suggesting that any allocated site within the local plan will, per se, be an officer’s decision, not in principle but in detail as well?

I am really sorry to interrupt. It was not clear when I read the regulations, but is the Minister suggesting that any allocated site within the local plan will, per se, be an officer’s decision, not in principle but in detail as well?

They are subject to the gateway test, as I set out at the beginning of the debate. Local people will still be able to make representations. Regardless of who the decision-maker is, where those representations relate to the planning merits, they must be taken into account. As Members will know,...

They are subject to the gateway test, as I set out at the beginning of the debate. Local people will still be able to make representations. Regardless of who the decision-maker is, where those representations relate to the planning merits, they must be taken into account. As Members will know,...

I am sorry to interrupt again, but does the Minister accept that, often, delays in planning applications are caused by the developer when they do not provide all the evidence they are required to provide, say on highways? I will give her an example. There was an application where I...

I am sorry to interrupt again, but does the Minister accept that, often, delays in planning applications are caused by the developer when they do not provide all the evidence they are required to provide, say on highways? I will give her an example. There was an application where I...

I suggest to the noble Baroness that freeing up some of the time of our experienced planners will give them the opportunity to go back to developers and challenge information like that when it is not adequate. The fact that there can be dialogue between the planning officers and the...

I suggest to the noble Baroness that freeing up some of the time of our experienced planners will give them the opportunity to go back to developers and challenge information like that when it is not adequate. The fact that there can be dialogue between the planning officers and the...