Westminster City Council has formally delegated powers under the London Squares Preservation Act 1931 to its Strategic Planning Committee and two Planning Sub Committees, clarifying which body is responsible for decisions under the Act.
The decision was made at a meeting of the General Purposes Committee on Wednesday 22 October 2025. Councillor David Boothroyd, Cabinet Member for Finance and Council Reform, chaired the meeting.
According to the Public Reports Pack, a review of the council's delegation of local choice functions could not establish a record of the council approving where functions under the London Squares Preservation Act 1931 should sit. The report stated that upon reviewing records of the council's delegation of local choice functions it was not possible to establish a record of the council approving where functions under the 1931 Act or other Local Acts related to planning and building control should sit.
The committee approved a recommendation to the council to clarify and amend the terms of reference of the Council's Strategic and Planning Committees to allow them to discharge the functions (both consent and enforcement) under the London Squares Preservation Act 1931.
The London Squares Preservation Act 1931 prescribes mechanisms for consent for various works and enforcement should that be required. The council's report pack noted that the three Planning Committees already had a term of reference to make decisions on applications under the Act.
While the meeting information states that the Act prescribes mechanisms for consent for various works
, it does not specify what these works are. For details, refer to the London Squares Preservation Act 1931. Similarly, the meeting information does not specify how the enforcement mechanisms available to the Planning Committees under the Act will be applied. More information can be found in the London Squares Preservation Act 1931.
