From 31 October 2026, we have updated our constitution to meet national requirements under The Town and Country Planning (Discharge of Local Planning Authority Functions) (England) Regulations 2026.
In line with the National Scheme of Delegation, we now categorise planning applications using a two-tier (binary) classification system and a formal ‘gateway test’ to decide if an application goes to the planning committee.
Under these rules, our planning officers decide most applications under delegated powers. We only refer applications to the planning committee if they meet specific statutory criteria.
Application classifications and delegation rules
Schedule 1 applications
Our planning officers must decide Schedule 1 applications. The planning committee cannot decide these applications.
Schedule 1 includes:
- Householder applications
- Minor residential developments (1 to 9 dwellings on sites under 0.5 hectares)
- Minor commercial applicationsCertificates of lawfulness
Permission in principle - Prior approvals
- Non-material amendments
- Reserved matters for developments with fewer than 500 dwellings or less than 50,000 square metres
Schedule 2 applications
Our planning officers will decide Schedule 2 applications unless an application is formally referred to the planning committee through the gateway test.
Schedule 2 includes:
- Major residential developments
- Commercial developments
- Retrospective applications
- Listed building consents
- Advertisement consent
- Large reserved matters
Own-interest applications
We refer all ‘own-interest’ applications to the planning committee to decide.
These are applications:
- Submitted by or on behalf of the council, councillors, or council officers
- On land where the council, councillors, or council officers have an interest
The referral process
Referrals to the gateway test are managed jointly by:
- The nominated councillor (the chair of the planning committee, or the vice-chair as substitute)
- Our nominated officer (the planning applications manager, or a principal planning officer or strategic planning manager as substitute)
Councillors can submit a written request for an application to be considered at the gateway test. This must be submitted within 4 weeks of the weekly application list being published.
The request must set out how the application meets at least one of these criteria:
- It raises issues of economic, social, or environmental significance to the local area
- It raises significant planning matters regarding the development plan and material considerations
Gateway test meetings
We hold gateway test meetings every 2 weeks between the nominated councillor, our nominated officer, and a democratic services clerk to review referral requests. Our officers can also refer select Schedule 2 applications to the gateway test (for example, an application recommended for approval that departs from the Local Plan).
Both the nominated councillor and our nominated officer must agree to refer an application to the planning committee. Under national guidance, if they do not agree, our officers will decide the application under delegated powers.
A referral to the planning committee can be conditional on what our officers expect to recommend on the application.
We publish the results of each gateway test on our website and present a summary report to the planning committee every 3 months.