England Proposes More Planning Power for Metro Mayors
England’s government has opened a six-week consultation on how elected metro mayors could gain greater control over major housing, commercial and infrastructure decisions outside London.
Published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on August 24, the consultation sets out proposed regulations for planning powers created by the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026. It closes at 11:59 p.m. on October 5, 2026.
The powers are not yet operating. Subject to the consultation outcome and parliamentary scheduling, the government intends to lay secondary legislation by the end of 2026, with the new mayoral planning powers beginning in early 2027.
Which projects could be affected
The proposal would create a common set of national categories outside London for applications of potential strategic importance. The initial thresholds include developments with more than 150 homes, more than 15,000 square metres of commercial space or buildings at least 30 metres tall.
The proposed categories would also include major transport, waste and energy projects, along with developments that could affect strategic policies, such as the loss of housing, development in the Green Belt or the loss of playing fields.
Meeting one of the thresholds would not automatically transfer a case to a mayor or mean the project would be approved. The thresholds identify applications that could enter the mayoral process; statutory tests would still govern any intervention.
How a mayor could intervene
Under the proposed three-stage process, a local planning authority would first refer an eligible application to the mayor for consultation. The mayor could say that no further involvement was needed, allowing the council to continue deciding the case.
If the council later notified the mayor that it was minded to approve or refuse the application, the mayor would have 14 days to decide whether to intervene. The mayor could direct the council to refuse the application in specified circumstances or call it in and become the local planning authority for the decision.
For a called-in case, the council would send the mayor representations from the applicant, statutory consultees, residents and town or parish councils. The mayor would then have to proceed through either a public hearing or written representations.
The decision would remain subject to planning law. A mayor would have to consider the development plan, including the relevant Spatial Development Strategy and local plan, as well as national planning policy. Applicants would retain appeal rights, and the secretary of state would retain powers to intervene.
Development orders and regional infrastructure funding
The consultation also covers Mayoral Development Orders. These could grant planning permission in advance for specified development on one or more sites, without requiring a separate planning application.
That route would still require publicity, consultation, planning reasons, consideration of representations and compliance with environmental rules. The consultation proposes excluding certain major Environmental Impact Assessment development and minerals development from the order-making power.
Mayors outside London could also be allowed to establish a Mayoral Community Infrastructure Levy on development. The government says the levy should primarily support strategic infrastructure whose benefits extend across the wider mayoral authority, such as transport and other priorities identified as important across council boundaries. The consultation says a Spatial Development Strategy is intended to be in place before a mayor charges the levy.
Why the change matters
The policy would shift a limited class of major planning decisions toward elected metropolitan authorities while leaving councils responsible for most applications. The government says mayors are better placed to coordinate housing, infrastructure and economic growth across council boundaries.
The broader legal framework was created when the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill received Royal Assent on April 29, 2026. That Act established Strategic Authorities in law and provided for mayoral intervention in applications of potential strategic importance, Mayoral Development Orders and a mayoral infrastructure levy.
The government’s announcement also links the planning changes to wider devolution of housing funding and infrastructure responsibilities. Those policy claims come from the government and do not by themselves establish that the new system will deliver more homes or faster construction.
The accountability trade-off
The proposal has drawn concern from local-government representatives. The Local Councils Network said councils have detailed knowledge of their communities and warned that moving authority to larger mayoral bodies could weaken local accountability and local influence over planning decisions.
The Guardian reported criticism from political opponents as well as support from mayors who argue that regional intervention could help address stalled or strategically important projects. The central question is whether metropolitan coordination outweighs the loss of decision-making power for councils and local planning committees.
For residents, the immediate change is not a transfer of every planning decision. It is a consultation on the rules for a narrower class of major projects. For developers, the proposals could create a more standardized regional route for large schemes while adding another authority to engage with and, potentially, a future infrastructure charge.
People and organizations in England can respond until October 5, 2026. The final thresholds, categories, procedures and implementation timetable may change before the powers take effect.
Key sources
- Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Planning powers for mayors in England
- The Guardian: Mayors to get new powers over planning decisions under Burnham proposals
- Local Councils Network: Mayoral power to overrule councils on planning
Look for updates to this story
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