National Delegation Scheme

The Government has confirmed that new regulations to introduce a national scheme of delegation for planning decisions are expected to be laid before Parliament in the coming weeks, marking a significant change to how planning applications are determined across England.

Speaking at UKREiiF, Planning Minister Matthew Pennycook outlined plans to reform decision-making processes, alongside a broader package of measures aimed at accelerating housing delivery and supporting smaller development sites.

Proposed Changes to Planning Decision-Making

The proposed national scheme of delegation is intended to ensure that only “significant” planning applications are determined by planning committees, with a greater proportion of decisions delegated to planning officers.

 

The Government has recently consulted on draft regulations, with the consultation closing at the end of April 2026. Subject to the outcome of this process, the regulations are expected to be:

 

• Laid before Parliament shortly
• Brought into force from 31st October 2026
• No transitional provisions. All applications – including those already validated – will be subject to the new rules once the new regime comes into effect and by no later than 31 October 2026. 

 

The changes are aimed at improving efficiency and consistency within the planning system, while allowing committees to focus on the most complex or sensitive proposals.

 

National Rollout of ‘Small Sites Aggregator’

Alongside the delegation proposals, Pennycook confirmed that the Government will move forward with a national rollout of the ‘Small Sites Aggregator’ initiative.

 

The pilot, which has previously operated in Bristol, Lewisham and Sheffield, seeks to:

 

• Unlock small brownfield sites that would otherwise remain undeveloped
• Attract private investment
• Support delivery of social rent housing

 

The Government has indicated that this initiative could contribute to the delivery of up to 10,000 social rent homes per year, through closer collaboration between the public and private sectors.

 

Standardised Housing Design ‘Pattern Book’

The Government is also working with a number of local authorities to develop a pattern book of standard house designs, expected to be published later in 2026.

 

The intention is to:

 

• Support modern methods of construction (MMC)
• Remove barriers for SME developers
• Help local authorities bring forward smaller sites more efficiently

 

This approach is intended to improve delivery rates by introducing greater consistency and economies of scale within the development process.

 

Wider Context: Driving Housing Delivery

The announcements form part of a broader Government focus on “getting Britain building again”, with an emphasis on:

 

• Accelerating planning decision-making
• Supporting SME developers
• Unlocking constrained or unviable sites
• Delivering housing alongside necessary infrastructure

 

The Minister also highlighted the importance of collaboration between Government, local authorities and the development industry in overcoming delivery challenges.

 

Our View

These proposed reforms represent a notable shift in how planning decisions may be taken, particularly through the increased use of delegated powers.

 

For applicants and developers, this could have a number of implications:

 

• Faster decision-making for less complex schemes
• Greater consistency across local authority areas
• Reduced political input on smaller or less contentious applications

 

However, the success of the reforms will depend on how they are implemented in practice, including how authorities interpret what constitutes a “significant” application.

 

The expansion of the Small Sites Aggregator and the introduction of standardised housing designs also signal a clear focus on unlocking smaller sites and supporting SME delivery, which has historically been a challenge within the planning system.

 

At DHA Planning, we will continue to monitor these changes closely and advise clients on how they may influence both ongoing applications and future development strategies.