Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 24 June 2026 to Questions 11520 on Planning, for what reason his Department did not make an assessment of the potential impact of the Town and Country Planning (Discharge of Local Planning Authority Functions) (England) Regulations 2026 on democratic rights.

In developing the regulations in question, the government gave careful consideration to the implications of the National Scheme of Delegation for local communities and their ability to influence development in their areas.

We recognise the essential role that planning committees play in ensuring that decisions about what to build and where are shaped by local communities and reflect the views of local residents. However, in providing essential local democratic oversight of planning decisions, it is important that planning committees operate as effectively as possible, focusing on those applications which require member input and not revisiting the same decisions.

The regulations in question do not alter existing requirements to consult on planning applications. Nor do they remove the right of residents and their elected representatives in any given local planning authority area to submit representations and make objections in respect of planning applications. Where such comments are made, they must be taken into consideration when determining applications regardless of the decision maker.