From 31 October 2026, new national rules will change how planning applications are decided. These new rules will apply across England and are mandatory. The rules apply to all applications determined on or after this date.
Many planning applications, including householders and minor developments, will fall under Schedule 1 of the new scheme of delegation. Schedule 1 applications must be decided by Council planning officers and cannot be reported to the Planning Committee. Some larger or more complex applications may still be considered by Planning Committee, if they fall within Schedule 2, or are classed as Own Interest or Other applications, where this is permitted under the new arrangements through the gateway test.
These changes relate to the decision-making process only. The planning policies, legal requirements and material planning considerations used to assess planning applications remain unchanged. The National Scheme of Delegation changes who may determine certain categories of application, but it does not alter the planning merits on which applications are assessed or the legal tests that apply to planning decisions.
Under the new rules, Ward Councillors will no longer be able to request that a Schedule 1 application is considered by the Planning Committee. They will still be able to call a Schedule 2 or Own Interest application to the gateway test, and applications classed as Other will follow the existing scheme of delegation. For applications that must be delegated or that do not meet the gateway test criteria to be reported to planning committee, Member comments will continue to be considered along with other representations made on the application.
Planning petitions will continue to be accepted. Where a planning petition (sponsored by a Councillor) relates to a matter being determined under officer delegation, the issues raised in the petition will be considered as part of the decision-making process. Where the planning petition relates to a matter being referred to Planning Committee, the consideration of the petition will follow the existing process.
A list of Schedule 1 and Schedule 2 application types and the gateway test criteria can be found on our How to comment on a planning application [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/howtocomment]page.
For more detailed information, please see: Planning Committees and the National Scheme of Delegation of Planning Functions: Guidance for local planning authorities in England - GOV.UK [https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/planning-committees-and-the-national-scheme-of-delegation-of-planning-functions-guidance-for-local-planning-authorities-in-england/planning-committees-and-the-national-scheme-of-delegation-of-planning-functions-guidance-for-local-planning-authorities-in-england]