an "erosion of local democracy".
New planning rules have come into force across England, changing who has the final say on housing and development applications.
Introduced on November 1, 2026, the National Scheme of Delegation makes planning officers responsible for deciding most applications rather than elected councillors.
The government says the changes will create greater consistency and clarity across the planning system.
However, critics warn that reducing councillors’ involvement could weaken local democracy and limit residents’ influence over developments in their communities.
The reforms also give regional mayors, including the Mayor of the West Midlands, new powers to intervene in certain major planning decisions.
Under the new framework, planning officers will determine most applications, making officer decisions the default position.
Planning committees will retain responsibility for some commercial and residential developments, listed building consent, tree preservation orders and advertisement consent.
However, these applications will only reach committees when they raise issues of economic, social or environmental significance.
The new rules also restrict planning committees to a maximum of 13 members.
One significant change is the removal of councillors’ previous ability to call in applications for committee consideration.
Critics believe this could make the process less transparent by reducing opportunities for public debate.
David Hitchiner, former leader of Herefordshire Council, described the changes as “an unacceptable change to our democracy”.
He reluctantly supported the amendment, despite his concerns about its impact on local communities.
Hitchiner highlighted frustration among residents in his Stoney Street ward, west of Hereford, where a seven-home proposal could no longer be determined by councillors.
Peter Wilkinson, chair of planning at Staffordshire Moorlands District Council, also described the reforms as an “erosion of local democracy”.
Councillor Tony Holmes resigned from the planning committee in protest.
However, some local representatives believe the changes will have limited practical consequences.
Councillor Finlay Gordon-McCusker, cabinet member for regeneration at Stoke-on-Trent City Council, suggested that “not a lot will change” because most applications were already decided by planning officers.
Shropshire Council’s cabinet member for planning, David Walker, reassured residents that “people will still be able to have their say”.
He said concerns involving flooding, highways, heritage, ecology and residential amenity would continue to be considered.
Meanwhile, the Mayor of the West Midlands could gain powers to overrule councils, including Birmingham, Coventry and Wolverhampton, on certain major developments.
These include proposals involving more than 150 homes or over 15,000 square metres of commercial space.
The reforms are intended to support more consistent planning decisions, although concerns remain about public involvement.
Residents will still be able to submit objections and comments, but the changes could reshape how communities influence development across England.
