Prime Minister Andy Burnham is scheduled to unveil proposals this week that would grant regional mayors across the UK new powers to overrule planning decisions made by local councils. These powers would also allow mayors to greenlight large-scale developments.
The proposals aim to give regional mayors in 13 areas, including Manchester, Liverpool, and the West Midlands, the authority to take over planning decisions and direct councils to either refuse or advance plans. Mayors would also be able to grant upfront permission for developers to begin building without requiring a separate application.
These new rules would apply to developments exceeding 150 homes, commercial spaces larger than 15,000 square metres, or any building 30 metres or taller. The plans have reportedly received backing from 10 of the 14 devolved mayors, which would provide them with powers similar to those held by London Mayor Sadiq Khan regarding planning decisions for affordable homes.
The planning decisions made under these new powers must adhere to existing planning rules, local area plans, and national policies. Additionally, mayors would gain more influence over the allocation of national housing funding from Homes England, the government's housing and regeneration agency, within their respective areas. They would also be able to impose a levy on developments to finance major infrastructure projects.
A consultation on these proposals is expected to be published this week. The government is currently over a quarter of the way towards its target of building 1.5 million homes in England over the next five years. Housebuilders are reportedly facing challenging conditions, described as the worst since the 2008 financial crisis, with new home developments at historically low levels.