Infographic showing nine councils designated under Section 62A of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 on 15 June 2026, stripping their powers to decide major planning applications. Includes a separate Torbay local plan intervention panel showing 42% of housing need met and a 10,980-home shortfall. Source: MHCLG.
Local Government, Planning

What Happens When a Council Loses Its Planning Powers? 9 Just Found Out

In a notable intervention, the Secretary of State has stripped nine local councils of their authority to manage major planning applications, citing poor performance. Critics argue this undermines local democracy and hands significant power to a distant national authority, intensifying concerns about a top-down approach to housing development.