The National Scheme of Delegation Is Now in Force: What It Means for Your Planning Application

The new national scheme of delegation came into force on 31 October 2026. From this weekend, every local planning authority in England follows the same rules on who decides a planning application: a planning officer or the planning committee.

In June, we explained what the new scheme involves. Now that it is live, this update answers the question most applicants are asking: how will it affect my planning application?

For most people, the answer is good news.

What has changed, in brief

• Most applications are now decided by planning officers. Householder, minor residential (up to nine homes on sites under 0.5 hectares) and minor commercial applications must all be delegated to officers. So must prior approvals, discharge of conditions, certificates of lawfulness and most reserved matters.
• Committees focus on larger, more complex schemes. These can only go to committee where strict national criteria are met.
• Call-in and objection triggers have gone. Councillors can no longer call in an application, and a set number of objections no longer sends it to committee automatically.
• The rules are the same everywhere. Every council in England now follows one national scheme instead of its own local version.

What it means for your planning application

• Quicker decisions. Officer decisions do not have to wait for the next committee meeting or a place on a busy agenda. That should mean fewer delays, particularly for smaller schemes.
• Certainty from day one. You will know at the outset who will decide your application. A straightforward scheme can no longer be moved to committee late in the process.
• Decisions on planning merit. Officers assess your application against the development plan, national policy and the evidence you submit. A well-prepared scheme that meets policy will be judged on exactly that.
• Fewer surprises. The number of objections alone no longer decides how your application is handled. Comments are still considered, but on their planning merits.
• A level playing field. The same rules apply wherever your site is in England, so there are no local differences to navigate.
• Committees with time for what matters. Planning committees can give proper attention to the larger schemes that genuinely shape an area.

Can my application still go to committee?

Only larger or more complex proposals can be referred to committee, and only by exception. The council's nominated officer and nominated member must both agree. The application must also raise an issue of significance to the local area, or a significant planning matter.

Applications made by, or involving, the council or its own members and officers can also go to committee, to keep those decisions transparent. For everyday applications such as extensions, small housing schemes and minor commercial development, the decision now rests with the planning officer.

If you are commenting on an application

Neighbours and local groups can still comment on applications, and the planning officer still has to take every relevant comment into account. What counts now is the strength of the planning points made, not the number of letters received.

A clear objection based on planning policy carries real weight with the officer deciding the case.

Making the most of the new system

1. Get the application right first time. The officer decides on the information in front of them, so a complete, well-evidenced submission matters more than ever.
2. Use pre-application advice. Testing your proposal with the council early helps you resolve issues before you submit.
3. Work with the case officer. Responding promptly to queries and agreeing sensible amendments keeps your application moving.
4. Check where a live application stands. Applications decided from 31 October follow the new scheme, even if they were submitted earlier. If yours was expected to go to committee, it is worth checking which route it will now take.

How LB Planning can help

The new scheme rewards applications that are well prepared, policy-led and backed by good evidence. LB Planning can help you understand which route your application will follow, and put together a submission designed to secure a positive decision from the planning officer.

Get in touch for a no-obligation chat about your project.