Govt to give mayors power to overrule planning committees
The likes of Ben Houchen, Steve Rotheram, Tracy Brabin, and Kim McGuinness will get the final say on large developments under plans from the Prime Minister, and former Greater Manchester Mayor, Andy Burnham.
While local councils will continue to be the primary planning arbiters in given area, under the new powers combined authority mayors will be able to intervene if they believe a decision made locally is to the detriment of growth.
Examples of how this could pan out can be found in London, where mayor Sadiq Khan, who already has call-in capabilities, has stepped in to overturn refusals of several high-profile schemes.
These include a 505-home project from Muse and the Canal and River Trust in Tottenham in 2017 and, more recently, TfL’s plans for around 300 flats at High Barnet Station.
Projects with more than 150 homes, more than 15,000 sq m of commercial space, or any building over 30 metres or taller would fall within the scope of the mayors’ new powers.
The move is likely to ruffle feathers and has already been criticised by the Conservatives, Greens, and Lib Dems who see it as a watering down of local democracy.
The proposals are due to be published in full this week.
Under the beefed-up powers, mayors outside London will also be able to charge a levy on development to fund major infrastructure such as railway lines.
Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said: “I will do everything I can to bring good quality, well paid jobs for local people.
“We’ve already led the way in showing what can be done when we slash red tape to get projects moving across Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool.
“This is another good move which will ultimately allow me to bring more growth and jobs to our region.
“Our construction industry is one of the strongest in the country – we get things done and projects built.
“Having these powers will also mean I’ll be able to give our brilliant construction firms and their local staff more work to further boost our economy.”
The Tees Valley’s construction sector continues to perform above the national average – contributing £833million to the economy in 2025.
Figures show construction jobs in the Tees Valley have increased by 32% since 2014 – with employment forecast to grow to provide jobs to more than 21,000 people in 2034.
