The government has delayed the start of its national scheme of delegation by a month.

It was due to be implemented on 30 September but that has been pushed back to 31 October in newly issued guidance notes.

Measures in the scheme include reforms which place more planning decisions in the hands of officers at local authorities in England. It sets out which applications should be delegated to officers and which should be determined by planning committees.

According to the government’s response to the consultation, respondents felt that an implementation date of 30 September ‘did not allow sufficient time for local authorities to amend their constitutions and make the necessary administrative arrangements’.

Hence the government delaying the date by a month to allow local authorities ‘further time’ to make the necessary arrangements.

Local planning authorities that fail to comply with the regulations from 31 October may be subject to judicial review and potentially lead to the quashing of decisions.

KPPC  wholeheartedly supports the changes which will ensure that committee time is spent on only those applications that really merit members’ consideration.

Our Planning Director Adam Bennett previously stated: “Putting the power back into the hands of planning officers to use their professional expertise in the determination of applications, many of which will be made by individuals or SME developers and homebuilders, will only serve to help mobilise this end of the market and reduce the ever growing cost burden in making a planning application.”

Please don’t hesitate to get in touch to find out more about the benefits of this reform for your plans, project or site.