The Government is being urged to think again and reconsider sweeping changes to the national planning system.
Rother District Council has formally written to Housing and Planning Minister Matthew Pennycook MP to raise concerns about the new ‘National Scheme of Delegation,’ which the council says will significantly reduce the role of locally elected councillors in deciding planning applications.
The new rules – due to come into force on 31 October this year – create a standardised national framework determining which planning applications are decided by planning officers and which ones by planning committees. They would prevent many planning applications, including for up to nine new homes, from ever being considered by planning committees in England.
In its letter to the Government, the council warns that the changes will:
- Reduce local democratic oversight.
- Remove councillors’ ability to call planning applications before committee.
- Limit opportunities for communities to have their voices heard on developments affecting their areas.
The council also expressed concern that a single national approach fails to recognise the unique characteristics of rural and protected areas such as the High Weald National Landscape.
Councillor Teresa Killeen MBE, the council’s portfolio holder for planning, said: “These changes strike at the heart of local democracy. Planning decisions shape the future of our towns, villages and countryside, and local people rightly expect their elected representatives to have a meaningful say in those decisions.
“Rother is not the same as a major city authority, and a one-size-fits-all national system risks overlooking our unique challenges.
“While we support efforts to improve the efficiency of the planning system, this must not come at the expense of transparency, accountability and local decision-making.
“We are urging the Government to think again and work with councils to develop an approach that delivers timely planning decisions while preserving the vital role of locally elected councillors.”
The council’s letter was sent by Council Leader Cllr Doug Oliver following a council notice of motion.
Ends
Published: 6th October 2026
