Hackney Council has adopted new rules for its Planning Committee, which will come into effect on October 31, 2026. The changes, approved at a Full Council meeting on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, establish the Planning Sub-Committee as an independent committee in its own right, rather than a sub-committee of the Corporate Committee. This move is intended to provide a clearer and more transparent planning process, aligning with common practice among other local authorities.
These updates are in response to new legislation introduced by the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025. This Act reforms how planning committees operate, including the size and composition of committees and the delegation of planning functions to officers. Specifically, the Act introduces a National Scheme of Delegation, which prescribes categories of applications that must be determined by officers and establishes circumstances in which certain applications may be referred to a Planning Committee for determination.
The new terms of reference will outline which planning applications are to be determined by council officers and which will be referred to the Planning Committee. A gateway test
will be implemented for certain applications to determine if they raise significant economic, social, or environmental issues, or other substantial planning matters. For Schedule 2 applications, the nominated officer (Chief Planning Officer) and nominated member (Chair of Planning Committee) will consider and conclude that the proposed development raises at least one of the following criteria:
- One or more issues of economic, social or environmental significance to the local area; or
- One or more significant planning matters having regard to the development plan and any other material consideration.
In considering whether to refer an application, the officer and member must have regard to guidance issued by the secretary of state.
The following types of planning applications will now be determined by officers:
- Schedule 1 applications:
- Householder applications.
- Minor residential and minor commercial development (1-9 dwellings on a site of less than 0.5 hectares) and other minor development to flats.
- Discharge of conditions.
- Reserved matter approvals (for non-phased development).
- Lawful development certificates.
- Certificates of appropriate alternative development.
- Non-material amendments.
- Biodiversity gain plans.
- Prior approval applications.
- Permission in principle.
- Changes to S106 obligations connected to the above type applications being amended under S106A.
- Reserved matters approvals for schemes under 500 residential units or below 50,000 sqm floorspace.
- Variation/removal of conditions on applications that fall within Schedule 1.
- Schedule 2 applications (unless referred to Planning Committee via the gateway test):
- Any applications for planning permission not in Schedule 1.
- Reserved matters approvals for phased development.
- Variations to permissions (known as S73 applications).
- Listed building consent.
- Variation or discharge of conditions to an LBC.
- Tree preservation order consents.
- Advertisement consent.
- Changes to S106 obligations connected to the above type applications being amended under S106A.
- Retrospective planning applications.
Applications for advertisement consent (e.g., shop signages) and applications for listed building consent are generally considered to be less contentious and more technical, respectively, and are therefore typically determined by officers.
The new rules aim to enable a more efficient, clearer, and transparent process for planning applications. The delegation of certain applications to officers means that some planning decisions may be made more quickly. Residents are encouraged to continue submitting planning objections, which will still be taken into account, although such applications may not be referred to the Planning Committee under the revised arrangements.
The Council also delegated authority to the Monitoring Officer to finalise the new Terms of Reference and make any consequential amendments to the Planning Code of Conduct following publication of the enacted Regulations. These amendments will reflect any changes to the proposed National Scheme as secondary legislation progresses through Parliament. The specific details of these consequential amendments are not yet provided, as they are dependent on the final publication of enacted Regulations.
Additionally, the Terms of Reference of the Corporate Committee will be amended to remove references to planning functions.
Read the full Public reports pack for Wednesday 23 September 2026 here.
See the Agenda frontsheet here.
View the Decisions from the meeting here.