Merton Council has adopted a Planning Peer Challenge Action Plan to improve its Development Management service, following a Cabinet meeting on Monday, 24 November 2025.

Even though the Development Management service is considered high performing, the Planning Peer Challenge was initiated to conduct a health check, identify risks associated with adapting to national planning reforms, and suggest improvements to become 'best in class'.

The action plan is a response to 15 key recommendations from a review by the national Planning Advisory Service (PAS). The LB Merton Planning Peer Challenge Report noted that the Local Planning Authority (LPA) service is currently a high performing function within Merton Council.

The report highlighted that the service excels in processing Development Management applications, enforcing Planning Control, preserving the borough's heritage, and protecting privately owned trees while securing new planting in new developments.

Statistics show that the council regularly exceeds national statutory and local targets for determining planning submissions, both in terms of speed and quality of decision making.

The 15 recommendations in the action plan include:

  • Prioritising the adoption of the Local Plan and making its implementation the focal point for a joined up and inclusive approach to place-making across the Planning Service and the rest of the council.
  • Creating a clear strategy for the Planning Service to deliver the Leader and Chief Executive's Vision for Merton.
  • Producing a Planning Service Plan that has clear and direct links to the corporate priorities and delivery of the local plan.
  • Reviewing the structure of the planning service to ensure that it supports closer working relationships across the planning service.
  • Taking a more sustainable approach to achieving improvement in Development Management.
  • Working through the PAS Development Management (DM) Toolkit as part of ongoing process and service improvement work.
  • Reducing Extensions of Time (EoTs).
  • Considering extending the validation outsourcing arrangement.
  • Keeping committee practices and procedures under review to ensure an ongoing open and engaging experience for the public and to focus resources on the right types of development.
  • Updating and implementing the Enforcement Service Plan/Policy.
  • New Development.
  • Strategic Development
  • Aligning Infrastructure Planning for Sustainable Growth.
  • Reviewing the effectiveness of the Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) and produce an up-to-date version.
  • Prioritising the implementation of the new IT system, which is expected to bring new efficiencies through greater automation. The Planning Peer Challenge Report elaborates that the new IT system will introduce efficiencies, improve workflows, and conduct a comprehensive review of all processes, which will also help shape the team's structure.

The LB Merton Response to Planning Peer Challenge - Action Plan outlines the proposed actions and timescales for implementation, aiming to further enhance the service's performance and ensure it remains 'best in class'.

The decision is subject to call-in1.

[1] In local government, a 'call-in' is a procedure that allows councillors to scrutinise a decision before it is implemented.