Uttlesford District Council has won back its full planning powers in respect of dealing with major planning applications – marking a milestone in the programme of improvements that have been made to the local planning service.
The announcement to “de-designate” the council was confirmed by the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government in a letter received by the authority today.
It means developers will no longer be able to submit major planning applications directly to the Planning Inspectorate and must once again go through the council’s planning process. This change restores full planning powers to the local authority and reflects the significant planning performance improvements made over recent years.
Cllr John Evans, Portfolio Holder for Planning, said: “This announcement is fantastic news and a vote of confidence in the council and the significant progress that has been made within the planning service.
“It ensures that local voices remain at the heart of decision-making and takes back control for residents who can be reassured they are getting a planning service they value – one that supports appropriate major development whilst guarding against speculative planning applications that are unsuitable for our rural communities.
“However, we will not be complacent and will continue to drive improvements with our planning service at every opportunity.”
The decision to designate the council was made by the government in February 2022 and related to the number of major planning applications – classified as more than 10 houses or over 1 hectare – that were overturned on appeal.
Since then, the council has pushed forward a comprehensive improvement plan that has taken its planning performance well below the government threshold for designation. This has included member and officer training, a robust recruitment and retention programme, as well as enhanced performance monitoring and reporting.
In his letter to the council, Matthew Pennycook, Minister of State for Housing and Planning, expressed his gratitude to the authority for its “proactive collaboration” with the Ministry and the “significant progress” that has been made in addressing the issues and sustained improvement in planning performance.
The Minister’s letter to the council is available to read on the website: www.uttlesford.gov.uk/planning-designation-notice