- PM Andy Burnham has announced a plan to give mayors the power to take control of planning decisions and force through developments.
- The Conservatives and Liberal Democrats have criticized the move, calling it a "direct attack" that silences residents.
PM Andy Burnham is set to empower mayors with new planning authority, allowing them to override local councils and expedite housing developments. This initiative, aimed at addressing the housing crisis, will enable mayors to "call in" decisions and grant upfront permissions for projects exceeding 150 homes or 15,000 sq m.1
Burnham stated, "Sometimes... challenge does need to be made to local decision-making, and actually it cuts both ways." The changes will align mayors with the London mayor, who received similar powers earlier this year to unblock stalled housing projects.
Critics, including Shadow Housing Secretary Sir James Cleverly, argue that the government is undermining local councils' authority, warning that it could lead to unwanted developments, particularly for traveller sites. The Liberal Democrats labeled the move a "direct attack" on community rights, with spokesperson Gideon Amos asserting, "Taking powers away from communities and local councillors is taking powers away from local people."23
Despite the backlash, ten of the fourteen devolved mayors support the initiative, which also includes provisions for mayors to influence national housing funding and levy charges on developments to support infrastructure projects. The decisions must still comply with existing planning rules and local plans, with government ministers retaining a backstop power to intervene.
“Shadow Housing Secretary Sir James Cleverly warned the government is 'simultaneously stripping councils across the country of their ability to make planning decisions in their own communities, while making it easier to build traveller sites against local wishes'. Liberal Democrat Gideon Amos said the plan 'is a direct attack on communities across the country'.”
