Agenda item

Government Consultation on the Reform of Planning Committees

Minutes:

The Principal Planning Policy Officer presented the report to the Committee.

 

The UK Government’s ‘Reform of Planning Committees: Technical Consultation’ had sought external views on their proposals to modernise planning committees, including the introduction of national rules for the delegation of planning functions, the size and composition of planning committees, and the mandatory training for members of planning committees.

 

Councillor Tom Munro left the meeting at 15:25 hours.

 

The UK Government was intent on speeding up the delivery of new homes, with 4 consultation and working papers published in May 2025:

 

Technical consultation on implementing measures to improve Build Out transparency (25th May 2025).

Proposed to introduce a new statutory build out framework which required information to be submitted at different stages of the planning and development cycle, and the power to decline to determine applications.

Consultation closes 7th July 2025.

Planning Reform Working Paper: Speeding Up Build Out

(25th May 2025).

Invited views on incentives and options the government could

pursue to encourage and incentivise development, particularly new hones and the Delayed Homes Penalty.

Closing date 11:59pm on 7th July 2025.

Planning Reform Working Paper: Reforming Site Thresholds (27th May 2025).

Invited views on reforming site size thresholds in the planning system to better support housing delivery on different types of sites, including minor, medium and major development sites.

Closing date 9th July 2025.

Reform of Planning

Committees: Technical

Consultation (27th May 2025).

Proposals around the delegation of planning functions, the size and composition of planning committees, and mandatory

training for members of planning committees.

Closing date 23rd July 2025.

 

The proposed reforms followed changes made to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) in December 2024, which reintroduced mandatory targets for new homes through the revised standard method of assessing local housing need and enabling development on low quality ‘grey belt’ land where housing need could not be otherwise met.

 

The first three consultations and working papers were focused on the delivery of homes – a summary of the contents of these three consultations was attached at Appendix 1.

 

Due to the deadlines for these consultations, a response had been prepared in consultation with the Portfolio Member for Growth and the Chair of the Committee and this had been submitted on behalf of the Council in advance of the deadline.

 

The fourth of the Government consultations, the proposed Reform of Planning Committees: Technical Consultation, was the main focus of the report.

 

The questions from the UK Government had proposed responses, and Members were asked for their input.

 

The Chair noted the UK Government’s intention to speed up the delivery of new builds likely did not take into consideration of the installation / facilitation of gas, electricity and water supplies – it was not necessarily planning authorities and housing developers causing delays.

 

Moved by Councillor John Ritchie and seconded by Councillor Sally Renshaw

RESOLVED that the Committee: 1) Considers the contents of the Government’s ‘Reform of Planning Committees: Technical Consultation’ and the proposed Council response to this consultation; and,

 

2.     Gives delegated authority to the Assistant Director of Planning and Planning Policy, in consultation with the Chair of Planning Committee and Portfolio Member for Growth, to agree and submit the Council’s response to the Government’s ‘Reform of Planning Committees: Technical Consultation’.

Supporting documents: