Mayors to gain call-in powers over major local planning decisions

Mayors across England will be able to call in major planning applications when projects cross specified thresholds, BBC News reported on 23 August. The criteria cover developments of more than 150 homes, commercial schemes larger than 15,000 square metres and buildings taller than 30 metres. Matthew Pennycook, the housing minister, said the power was an essential tool for delivering homes and regeneration. It will extend a model long used by the Mayor of London to 13 mayoral areas outside the capital.

At a glance

• Mayors in 13 English areas will gain powers to call in some planning applications currently decided by local councils.
• The thresholds include schemes of more than 150 homes, more than 15,000 square metres of commercial space, or buildings above 30 metres.
• Housing minister Matthew Pennycook called the powers an essential part of the toolkit mayors need to deliver homes and regeneration.
• The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026 expanded strategic planning and development powers for regional mayors.
• The Act received Royal Assent on 29 April 2026, and its planning provisions allow mayoral intervention in applications of strategic importance.

Call-in is not the same as automatic approval

The Sunday-paper shorthand is that mayors will be able to overrule “nimby” objections, but the legal mechanism is narrower. A call-in means the mayor takes responsibility for determining a qualifying application rather than leaving the final decision with the local planning authority. The application still has to be judged against the development plan and other material planning considerations. That distinction matters because opponents will still be able to challenge design, infrastructure, environmental and affordability issues; what changes is the level of government making the decision.

Why ministers want a strategic decision-maker

The government argues that large developments often have consequences beyond one council boundary. A 500-home scheme can affect transport, schools and labour markets across a wider city region, while a major commercial project can sit inside a mayoral growth strategy that spans several authorities. The Institute for Government notes that the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act created a more consistent strategic tier for housing, transport and investment. Giving the mayor a planning backstop is intended to align those regional plans with individual high-impact decisions.

The local-democracy argument will not disappear

Councils and opposition parties are likely to focus on accountability. BBC News quoted Conservative, Liberal Democrat, Green and Reform criticism centred on the risk of weakening local control. Those objections are strongest where councillors have already negotiated with residents and developers before a mayor intervenes. Supporters will answer that mayors are also directly elected and can be judged across an entire region. The political contest, therefore, is not between democracy and no democracy, but between two elected levels claiming the better mandate for strategic development.

The real test is whether permissions become homes

Planning permission is only one part of housebuilding. Developers still need finance, utilities, labour, materials and viable sales or rental models. A faster mayoral decision could reduce uncertainty on contentious sites, but it cannot by itself cure stalled infrastructure or weak market demand. Pennycook's department is also pressing for station-led development and clearer national planning rules. The call-in power will be judged by whether it unlocks sites that would otherwise remain stuck, rather than simply moving the location of the same disputes.

What happens next

A consultation on the operating detail is expected to set out when and how mayors can intervene, including the relationship with local plans and spatial development strategies. Councils, developers and community groups will be watching the first call-ins closely. The key question will be whether the power is used sparingly for genuinely strategic cases or becomes a routine route around politically difficult local decisions.