Leave planning decisions with local authorities, not the Mayor

Recent planning reforms in England, and London specifically, granted the Mayor call-in powers for planning applications of 50 homes and above, where the local authority is minded to refuse.

The Government has also reduced the influence of local authorities in planning, with applications of 9 units and under being delegated to planning officers rather determined by planning committees.

The London Assembly has today agreed a motion calling on the Mayor to write to Government to remove the Mayor of London’s call-in powers for planning applications of 50 homes or more.

The Mayor should also demand that powers are returned to local authority planning committees to determine applications of 9 homes and under.

Andrew Boff AM, who proposed the motion, said:

"London’s Green Belt is under threat from plans for 56,100 homes that should instead be directed towards brownfield land.

“I am particularly concerned that the Mayor will be able to call in developments above a certain size, overriding decisions made locally.

“Planning decisions should be taken as close as possible to the communities they affect: local authorities and their elected planning committees are best placed to judge what development is appropriate for their area.

“I hope the Mayor will now listen to the Assembly and respect local decision-making."

The full text of the motion is:

“This Assembly notes recent planning reforms in England and London specifically, under which the Mayor has been granted call-in powers for applications of 50 units and above where the local authority is minded to refuse. The Government has also reduced the influence of local authorities in planning, with applications of 9 units and under being delegated to planning officers rather determined by planning committees.

This Assembly also notes that In the Draft London Plan 2026, up to 56,100 units have been earmarked for development on green belt land in London.

This Assembly agrees that local authorities are best placed to decide which planning applications should be determined by local planning committees, rather than be delegated to planning officers or be called-in by the Mayor of London.

The Assembly calls on the Mayor to:

Remove proposals to earmark 56,100 units on green belt land in the London Plan.

Write to the Government to ask that they remove the Mayor of London’s call-in powers for applications of 50 units and above where the local authority is minded to refuse.

Write to the Government to demand that powers are returned to local authority planning committees to determine applications of 9 units and under.”

The meeting can be viewed via webcast or YouTube.

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