Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025
Councils are adapting to the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 by delegating planning decisions to officers and reforming committee structures ahead of its October 2026 implementation.
Kingston Council's neighbourhood committees will lose authority to determine planning applications from 31 October 2026, with smaller applications handled by officers, as a result of the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025. Hounslow Council approved constitutional changes on 15 September 2026, introducing a national scheme for delegation where Schedule 1 and 2 applications will be determined by officers. Enfield Council's Planning Committee will also consider fewer applications from 31 October 2026, with most decisions made by officers.
Hackney Council's Full Council approved changes to its Planning Committee's Terms of Reference on 23 September 2026, following a recommendation from its Constitution Committee in July 2026 to elevate the Planning Sub-Committee to a standalone committee. These reforms, driven by the Act, also include delegating more planning functions to officers and mandatory training for committee members. Sutton Council's Strategy and Resources Committee is scheduled to discuss the topic on 5 October 2026.
The Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 is a national Act of Parliament coming into effect on 31 October 2026. It mandates constitutional changes for planning committees, introduces a national scheme for the delegation and referral of planning applications, and reforms how local planning authority functions are discharged, aiming to streamline planning decisions.
Key facts
- Kingston Council's neighbourhood committees will lose authority to determine planning applications from 31 October 2026. Source
- Hounslow Council approved constitutional changes on 15 September 2026, delegating Schedule 1 and 2 planning applications to officers. Source
- Enfield Council's Planning Committee will consider fewer applications from 31 October 2026, with most decisions made by officers. Source
- The Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 comes into effect on 31 October 2026. Source 1 Source 2 Source 3
About this summary
This summary was written automatically from our published stories and the council meeting records they draw on, with background from Wikipedia. It describes what councils have discussed and decided; it does not take a view on any decision. Each key fact links to the story it comes from. Updated 30 September 2026. Spotted a mistake? Email community@opencouncil.network.