New national approach to planning applications

We are advising of forthcoming changes to the planning system in England being introduced by the Government from 31 October 2026. The changes form part of a new national approach that will affect how Stroud District Council, and other local planning authorities, make decisions on planning applications.

Under the Government's new National Scheme of Delegation, planning applications will be split into two categories.

Schedule 1 applications must be decided by professional planning officers and cannot be referred to Planning Committee.

Schedule 2 applications may be referred to Planning Committee, but only where specific criteria set by the Government are met and the application is considered to raise significant planning, economic, social or environmental issues. In most cases, planning applications will continue to be decided by planning officers.

The Government has introduced these changes to create a more consistent approach to planning decisions across England and to ensure Planning Committees focus on the applications that raise the most significant issues.

The changes do not affect people's ability to comment on planning applications. Importantly, Town and Parish Councils will continue to be statutory consultees on planning applications and their views will remain an important material consideration in the decision-making process. The requirement to consult Town and Parish Councils on relevant planning applications is unchanged. We greatly value the local knowledge and insight that Town and Parish Councils provide on behalf of local communities, which helps to inform planning decisions and ensure local circumstances are fully understood.

We will publish further information on the councils website to explain how the new national rules will operate locally and what they mean for applicants, consultees and local communities. Additional guidance will be made available in due course.