Gateway test
Councils are adapting planning decision-making processes and committee structures in response to new national legislation, effective October 2026.
Hackney Council adopted new rules in September 2026, making its Planning Sub-Committee independent from October 31, 2026. Similarly, Kingston Council's neighbourhood committees will lose authority to determine planning applications from October 31, 2026, under new national regulations. These changes affect how planning applications, which are assessed by a gateway test to determine if they need committee review, are decided.
Both Hackney and Kingston's changes stem from the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025, which reforms how planning committees operate. Lewisham Council's Governance Committee also discussed significant reforms to planning decision-making in September 2026, noting upcoming changes driven by this new national legislation in July 2026.
The new rules for planning committees and decision-making authority are set to come into effect on October 31, 2026, across affected councils. This national programme aims to increase house building and ensure greater consistency in planning decisions, as stated by Kingston Council.
Key facts
- Hackney Council adopted new rules for its Planning Committee on September 23, 2026. Source
- Hackney's Planning Sub-Committee will become an independent committee from October 31, 2026. Source
- Kingston Council's neighbourhood committees will lose authority to determine planning applications from October 31, 2026. Source
- The changes in Hackney and Kingston are in response to the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025. Source 1 Source 2
- The Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 reforms how planning committees operate. Source
About this summary
This summary was written automatically from our published stories and the council meeting records they draw on. 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.