Weekly planning news

Councils could lose their say on large housing developments, under new government plans

Housing secretary Steve Reed is reportedly preparing to introduce sweeping changes to the planning system that would give central government much greater control over large housing applications.

According to reports in The Times¹ and Planning Resource², Reed is set to issue legally binding instructions requiring local planning authorities (LPAs) to refer any housing application of more than 150 homes to the government if they are minded to refuse it. This would effectively prevent councils from blocking major schemes at a local level.

Under the proposed approach, LPAs would have to notify the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) when they intend to reject a large development. The ministry could then immediately “call in” the application, appointing a planning inspector to examine the proposals and make a recommendation. The secretary of state would have the final say. Officials have suggested that decisions could often be made through written submissions, which they argue would streamline and speed up the process.

At present, councils are only required to refer large schemes they have approved in certain circumstances. Reed’s intervention would shift this to the point of refusal, substantially increasing the number of applications which could potentially be escalated to Whitehall.

The move follows recent efforts by the government to strengthen call-in powers and limit councils’ ability to delay or block major housing proposals while ministers consider intervention.

The approach mirrors long-established powers in London, where the mayor can call in developments of more than 150 homes regardless of a borough’s decision. Mayor Sadiq Khan is currently consulting on lowering that threshold to 50 homes, as part of broader changes agreed with the housing ministry. The forthcoming Devolution Bill could also widen similar powers for other regional mayors, enabling them to determine applications of strategic importance.

Government launches consultation into statutory consultee process

In what looks to be a further bid to streamline planning and speed up approvals, the government has launched an eight-week consultation on reforms to the statutory consultee system in England.³

According to the official announcement, the consultation will look at:

• removing statutory consultee status from certain bodies
• reviewing the scope of what statutory consultees advise on
• improving performance management across existing statutory consultees in the planning system

The ministerial foreword accompanying the announcement on the government’s website is blunt in its critique of current performance:

“Few would argue that the statutory consultee system is currently working effectively. In far too many instances, statutory consultee engagement with planning applications is not proactive or proportionate, and advice and information provided is not timely… In turn, local planning authorities and developers too frequently provide inadequate or poor-quality information or make blanket and inappropriate referrals to statutory consultees.”

Headline proposals include:

• Removing statutory consultee status from Sport England, The Gardens Trust and Theatres Trust, with new notification arrangements and guidance to mitigate impacts on playing fields, historic parks and gardens, and theatres.
• Refocusing major consultees such as National Highways, Active Travel England, Natural England, the Environment Agency, Historic England and the Mining Remediation Authority on higher-impact cases, supported by clearer referral criteria, more standing advice and better use of digital tools.
• Introducing a new performance framework, with annual ministerial meetings and agreed metrics to monitor timeliness and effectiveness.
• Reinforcing the role of local planning authorities, emphasising that consultee input is advisory and that LPAs should be resourced and trained to make confident decisions, including where advice is delayed or not forthcoming. The consultation runs from 18 November 2025 to 13 January 2026, with responses invited via an online survey, email or post.

Government plans ‘default yes’ for new homes near train stations

The government has announced that planning applications for new homes near well-connected train or tram stations will soon receive a default “yes”, including on some green belt sites, provided they meet yet-to-be-defined rules.

The change will appear in an updated National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) to be consulted on later this year, with the aim of boosting housing around transport hubs and delivering higher-density development.

Geoff Keal, CEO at TerraQuest, said the focus on transport-linked sites is a practical and efficient approach to growing communities:

“Focusing new homes around established stations and transport corridors presents a practical and effective way to grow communities… With key infrastructure already in place, this offers a more cost-efficient route to increasing housing supply.”

He also noted that, while the strategy offers clear benefits, it will require appropriate safeguards and clarity:

“There will be associated costs, and homes close to rail or tram lines will need enhanced mitigation measures, such as improved soundproofing, to ensure high-quality living standards….A ‘yes-first’ approach could help accelerate approvals, but only if supported by clear and decisive regulations and consistent processes.”

He also pointed to the strong development appetite we’re currently seeing, but said confidence in quicker decisions is now vital; TerraQuest’s Quarterly Planning Application Index⁴ showed significant increase in applications for new units in Q3 of this year.

“Developers are already coming forward… What’s needed now is confidence that approvals will be delivered at pace.

1. https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/councils-lose-power-block-large-housing-developments-ln57wjcm3
2. https://www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1939979/reed-to-order-councils-refer-150-home-plus-applications-him-reports-claim
3. https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/reforms-to-the-statutory-consultee-system/reforms-to-the-statutory-consultee-system#reforms-to-key-statutory-consultees
4. https://www.terraquest.co.uk/news-and-insights/q3-planning-application-index-2025