Full story
Mayors gain planning override
Britain’s new devolution proposals would give mayors across England powers to overrule local councils on some planning decisions, with the change applying to proposals with more than 150 homes, more than 15,000 square metres of commercial space, or buildings over 30 metres.
“more than 150 homes, more than 15,000 square metres of commercial space or buildings over 30 metres”
The BBC said the powers would be available in 13 areas including Manchester, Liverpool, the West of England and the West Midlands, where mayors would gain similar powers to Sir Sadiq Khan in London, who can already "call in" planning decisions.
Housing minister Matthew Pennycook said the powers were an "essential part of the toolkit that mayors need to effectively deliver new homes and regeneration," as the government sought to stress that local councils would continue to decide the majority of applications.
The BBC also said the powers would extend to Combined Authorities in North East England, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, York and North Yorkshire, Hull and East Yorkshire, Greater Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, East Midlands, and Tees Valley.
In Yorkshire, the Yorkshire Post said the proposals would be published this week as part of Andy Burnham’s devolution programme, with mayors able to take over key planning applications that impact economic growth and direct councils whether to approve or reject them.
Support and opposition clash
Conservatives questioned whether it was right for councils to lose the "ability to make planning decisions in their own communities," and Paul Bristow, the Conservative mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, told BBC Breakfast that if he had local powers he would approve "tomorrow" a couple of blocked schemes.
Bristow said the approach was "not about overriding what local people want," but about developers and councils finding a compromise on projects instead of just saying no, and he argued the "perceived threat of intervention" would help.
The BBC reported that Sir James Cleverly, the shadow housing secretary, said the government was "simultaneously stripping councils across the country of their ability to make planning decisions in their own communities" while making it easier to build traveller sites against local wishes.
Gideon Amos, the Liberal Democrat housing and planning spokesperson, said "taking powers away from communities and local councillors is taking powers away from local people," framing the change as silencing residents and handing mayors a blank cheque.
The Yorkshire Post added that the Prime Minister hoped the planning powers would prompt a "much more joined-up discussion about planning and local authorities," while also noting he told The Sunday Times it may upset “nimby” locals.
Housing target and funding
The BBC linked the planning changes to Labour’s housing ambition, saying the 2024 general election promise was to build 1.5 million homes in England by the end of the decade while housebuilders warned the target could be missed.
“build 1.5 million homes in England by the end of the decade”
Pennycook told the BBC the government was "absolutely determined to stick with that ambition," while acknowledging the target was "really stretching" and citing that nearly 180,000 children were in temporary accommodation.
The BBC said mayors would also get a bigger say over how housing funding is spent, with the government directing national agency Homes England to focus on local mayors' priorities.
In parallel, the City AM report said the regional mayors would be able to grant permission for developers upfront to start building without needing to apply, with the new rules applying to developments of more than 150 homes, commercial spaces over 15,000 square metres, or any building 30 metres or taller.
City AM also said a consultation is due to be published this week, while the BBC reported that a consultation on how the powers will work is due to be published next week.