Changes to planning decision-making in October 2026

From 31 October 2026, new national planning rules will change how planning applications are decided.

The National Scheme of Delegation is a national framework introduced by Government that applies across England. It changes who can make certain planning decisions but does not change planning policy or how applications are assessed.

The new rules place applications into 2 categories:

• Schedule 1 applications, which must be decided by planning officers
• Schedule 2 applications, which may be considered for referral to a planning committee if they meet certain conditions

Most planning applications will be decided by planning officers.

Planning committees will focus on applications that raise significant planning issues or could have a substantial impact on the local area.

If your application has not been decided by 31 October 2026, it will be decided under the new rules.

You do not need to submit a new application or take any further action.

This applies regardless of when the application was submitted. There are no transitional arrangements for applications that are undecided on 31 October 2026.

The previous councillor call-in arrangements have been replaced by the National Scheme of Delegation.

Councillors can continue to comment on planning applications and raise issues on behalf of residents and communities. These comments will be considered as part of the assessment of the application.

For Schedule 2 applications, the councillors may ask for the Gateway Test to be applied.

Comments by town and parish councils remain important and will be taken into account. However, under the national regulations they cannot require an application to be considered by a planning committee.

Members of the planning committee must remain open-minded and consider all relevant information before making a decision.

You can still comment on planning applications in the same way as before.

The new arrangements change who makes some planning decisions. They do not change how comments are considered.

Planning officers will continue to consider comments that raise relevant planning matters when assessing an application.

An application will not automatically be referred to a planning committee because it has received a lot of comments. The number of comments alone does not determine who makes the decision.

View and comment on a planning application.

Most planning applications will be decided by planning officers.

For a Schedule 2 application to be referred to a planning committee, at least one of the statutory criteria must be met. The application must raise either:

• a significant economic, social or environmental issue for the local area
• a significant planning matter

This is called the Gateway Test. The nominated member and nominated officer must agree that the Gateway Test is passed before referral to a committee can occur.

We will continue to make planning decisions openly and fairly.

We will report requests for committee consideration and the outcome of those requests to maintain transparency and accountability

View the types of applications included in Schedule 1 and Schedule 2:

Own-interest applications involve:

• Buckinghamshire Council
• councillors
• council officers

They also include applications where a relevant interest needs to be declared.

Separate rules apply to these applications to support transparency and public accountability.

You can read the government's guidance on planning committees and delegation.

Email [email protected].