Maidstone Borough Council says new national planning rules take away councillors’ and parish councils’ power to call applications in to Planning Committee from 31 October. Residents can still comment, and can still speak at committee.
Councillors and parish councils in Maidstone will no longer be able to call planning applications in to the council’s Planning Committee from Saturday 31 October 2026, when national changes to how planning decisions are made take effect.
In a press release on Monday 26 October, Maidstone Borough Council said: “Under the new arrangements, councillor and Parish Council call-in powers are removed.” The changes have been introduced by the Government and apply to councils across England.
What changes
Under the new rules, some types of planning application must be decided by planning officers, while others may still go to Planning Committee if they meet criteria set out in a new national framework. The council said that decision will be taken by the Head of Planning and the Chair of Planning, based on those criteria.
Applications will not go to committee just because a certain number of objections have been received, the council said. Examples of applications that will be decided by officers include many householder applications and smaller developments.
The changes also affect applications already in the system. The council said: “All current applications that are not on the published agenda for the October planning committee will be considered under the new system. All existing Councillor and Parish Council committee call in requests can no longer be accommodated.”
What stays the same
Residents will still be able to comment on planning applications, and the council said relevant planning matters raised during consultation will continue to be considered before a decision is made. Residents, parish councils and other interested parties will still be able to speak for three minutes at Planning Committee meetings, which will continue to meet.
The council said it will publish information about the applications considered for referral to committee, including the outcome and the reasons for each decision.
Councillor Tony Harwood, the council’s Cabinet Member for Planning Policy and Management, said: “The key message for residents is that their ability to comment on planning applications is not changing. These are national changes being introduced across England. While the process for deciding some planning applications will change, local people will still be able to submit their views and relevant planning matters raised through consultation will continue to be taken into account.”
He encouraged anyone with an interest in planning to read the information on the council’s website before the changes take effect.
Key information
- From 31 October 2026: councillor and parish council call-in powers end
- Who decides what goes to committee: the Head of Planning and the Chair of Planning, against national criteria
- Applications already submitted: any not on the published agenda for October’s Planning Committee will be dealt with under the new system
- Unchanged: the right to comment on applications, and three minutes to speak at committee
Sources
- Maidstone Borough Council press release SS/094/26, Planning changes coming into force from 31 October, 26 October 2026, including its frequently asked questions
Maidstone planning call-in changes quiz
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