Mayors planning powers: England’s big shift in housing decisions
English mayors will soon overrule local councils on major housing schemes, a shift that could reshape how homes get built across the country.
Arpit Soni
· Published · 6 min read · ✓ Sources cited
Key Takeaways
- Mayors in 13 English regions will gain the power to override councils on major developments (over 150 homes, large commercial schemes, or tall buildings)
- The change mirrors powers already held by London's mayor Sadiq Khan, but faces criticism from councils, Conservatives and opposition parties over local democracy
- The government hopes mayors planning powers will help hit its target of 1.5 million new homes by 2030, though some mayors and housebuilders doubt this is achievable
Mayors planning powers in England are about to shift dramatically. According to BBC News, mayors across 13 English regions will soon be able to override local council decisions on major housing and development schemes, a power that government says is vital to speed up home construction.
The mayors planning powers will apply to developments with more than 150 homes, more than 15,000 square metres of commercial space, or buildings taller than 30 metres. These thresholds mean the biggest projects, the ones that reshape neighbourhoods, will no longer be decided by councils alone.
Mayors in Greater Manchester, Merseyside, the West of England, the West Midlands, and nine Combined Authorities including South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, and the North East will gain these new mayors planning powers. London’s Sadiq Khan already holds similar authority to “call in” planning decisions, and this change extends that model nationwide.
| Mayors planning powers scope | Will apply to schemes with over 150 homes, over 15,000 sqm commercial space, or buildings over 30 metres |
|---|---|
| Regions gaining new powers | 13 mayoral areas including Manchester, Liverpool, West Midlands, and nine Combined Authorities |
| Housing target | Government pledged 1.5 million new homes in England by end of decade |
| Children in temporary housing | Nearly 180,000 as of statement date |
| Consultation timeline | Details of how mayors planning powers will work due next week |
Why England is giving mayors planning powers
Housing minister Matthew Pennycook framed the shift as essential for delivering new homes. He said the mayors planning powers represent “a toolkit that mayors need to effectively deliver new homes and regeneration.”
The government is under pressure. It promised 1.5 million new homes by the end of the decade, a target that housebuilders have warned is at risk of being missed. With nearly 180,000 children in temporary housing, Pennycook argued that any smaller goal “wouldn’t be commensurate with the scale of the challenge.”
Behind this sits a practical calculation: local councils sometimes block or delay projects, even when they might contribute to solving the housing crisis. Supporters argue that mayors planning powers allow a second look at schemes that deserve approval. Paul Bristow, the Conservative mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, told BBC Breakfast that he would use these mayors planning powers to approve blocked schemes “tomorrow” that would “get new homes built that families could move into.”
Bristow framed the mayors planning powers not as overriding communities, but as creating space for compromise. He suggested that the threat of mayoral intervention would push developers and councils to find middle ground rather than simply saying no.
The evidence from London and the pushback against mayors planning powers
London offers a test case. Sadiq Khan has held the power to review certain major decisions for years, yet housebuilding in the capital has fallen in recent years. This complicates the government’s argument that mayors planning powers automatically unlock construction.
Pennycook insisted that Khan’s existing powers had helped “unblock strategic growth sites,” but the overall numbers tell a murkier story. The mayors planning powers may help in some cases whilst failing in others, depending on how they are actually used.
The opposition has seized on this tension. The Conservatives questioned whether it is right for councils to lose decision-making authority in their own communities. Sir James Cleverly, the shadow housing secretary, accused the government of “stripping councils across the country of their ability to make planning decisions.”
The Liberal Democrats went further, saying that mayors planning powers amount to “taking power away from local people.” Gideon Amos, the party’s housing spokesperson, argued that instead of handing mayors planning powers with few constraints, the government should empower councils with proper resources and funding to deliver affordable homes alongside supporting infrastructure.
The Greens and Reform UK echoed concerns about centralisation. Reform accused Labour of “centralisation in disguise,” arguing that mayors planning powers do not truly devolve authority, they simply move it from one layer of bureaucracy to another.
What exactly will change when mayors planning powers take effect
The mayors planning powers will operate in stages. First, mayors will gain the ability to “call in” decisions, meaning they can review and overturn council choices on large schemes. Second, they will receive “up-front permission” powers, allowing building to begin without a developer having to submit a full application, a significant acceleration of the process.
The government has stressed that councils will still decide the majority of planning applications and that all decisions must follow planning rules. The government is also directing the national housing agency Homes England to align funding with local mayors’ priorities, effectively giving mayors planning powers over capital spending as well.
A consultation on the detail is due next week, meaning the exact mechanics of these mayors planning powers are still being written.
Will councils lose all their planning authority?
No. The vast majority of small and medium developments will remain under council control. The mayors planning powers apply only to schemes large enough to have regional significance, those with 150-plus homes, substantial commercial developments, or tall buildings. Ordinary planning decisions on houses, small extensions and local shops will stay with councils.
Why this matters
The shift in mayors planning powers reshapes how decisions about growth and housing are made across much of England, moving authority away from local councils and toward elected mayors who can take a wider view. The change is politically contentious because it touches on fundamental questions about who should decide what gets built in a community.
- On the ground: Major housing schemes will move faster in 13 regions, but councils lose final say on developments that transform their neighbourhoods, affecting how local communities experience growth and change
- Who is affected: Local councillors, residents’ associations, and developers all face a new decision-maker; councils that have blocked projects may find them approved under mayors planning powers; communities in areas without a mayor gain no new mechanism for influence
- What to watch: Whether the consultation next week reveals limits on mayors planning powers, and whether housebuilding actually accelerates once these powers are in use; London’s track record suggests mayors planning powers alone do not automatically solve the housing shortage
The government will publish full details of how the mayors planning powers will operate in the coming week. The immediate test will come in early 2027 when councils first use these powers, showing whether they genuinely speed up home construction or simply shift delays from one desk to another. Thewealthora also covers markets, money and economic trends that flow from policy changes like these.
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Originally reported by BBC News. Facts verified; analysis and wording are Thewealthora’s own.
Arpit Soni
The Thewealthora desk covers markets, money and personal finance, with zero jargon and every claim sourced.
