Councillors called in 97 Bromley planning applications in a year. About 70% could not go to committee under the national rules that start on 31 October.

Bromley councillors called in 97 planning applications for a committee decision in the year to September. About seven in ten of those could not go to a committee at all once new national rules start on 31 October.

The figures come from a written answer to Councillor Mike Jack, published with the papers for Full Council on 12 October. He asked the chairman of the Development Control Committee how many applications members had called in over the last 12 months, and how many would be ruled out under the new rules (written replies to councillors, Full Council 12 October 2026).

The answer:

“There have been 97 planning application ‘call ins’ made between September 2025 and September 2026. Around 70% of these applications would likely fall within Schedule 1 of the new Regulations and therefore could not be determined by a committee.”

Seventy per cent of 97 is about 68 applications. The other 30 or so would still have a possible route to committee, but a narrower one than now.

What changes on 31 October

The Town and Country Planning (Discharge of Local Planning Authority Functions) (England) Regulations 2026 apply to every planning authority in England. They split applications into two groups.

  • Schedule 1 applications must be decided by a council officer. They include householder extensions, minor commercial schemes, schemes of one to nine homes on a site under half a hectare, and permission in principle. There is no route to a committee for these.
  • Schedule 2 covers everything else. These are also decided by officers unless they are referred to committee under the rules.
  • Any committee that decides planning applications is capped at 13 members.

The council cannot opt out. The government’s guidance also rules out referral simply because a ward councillor asks or because an application draws a set number of objections.

How Bromley plans to handle the rest

Under the council’s proposals, a councillor who wants a Schedule 2 application to go to committee will have to give reasons. They will have to ask within three weeks of the application appearing on the weekly list. A panel of the Development Control Committee chairman and the Head of Development Management would meet every two weeks to decide which cases go forward (report to Development Control Committee).

Full Council was asked on 12 October to shrink the Development Control Committee from 16 to 12 seats until May 2027, and to back a motion condemning the changes as “anti-democratic”. We set out those proposals in our preview of the meeting. The minutes have not been published yet, so the formal outcome of the votes is not yet on the council’s record.

Also in the written answers

The same papers carry the council’s written answers to other questions from councillors and residents (replies from members of the public, Full Council 12 October 2026). Among them:

  • Bromley Lane crossing, Chislehurst. Contractors are “aiming to commence works in late October, subject to final programme arrangements”.
  • Waldo Road depot. Asked whether the council’s procurement processes were robust enough given the overspend on the depot scheme, the Leader replied: “Yes, I do”. He added that “the odd unforeseen or foreseeable hick up” can occur in any process.
  • Children in unregulated homes. The council said it had three children in unregulated provision at the time of writing. It said these placements are used in emergencies, mostly where the High Court has authorised a deprivation of liberty, and that each is approved by the Director of Children’s Services.
  • Penshurst Walk, Bromley Town. Officers will start a consultation with residents on new street lighting.
  • Billingford, Elstree Hill. The council said it is now proceeding with a section 215 untidy site notice to clear the shipping container and fencing.
  • Empty homes. The council said it has not historically used Empty Dwelling Management Orders, the legal power to take over the management of a long-term empty home.

What it means for you

  • If you object to a neighbour’s extension or a small housing scheme after 31 October, your comment on the planning register is the whole of your say. Your ward councillor will no longer be able to send it to committee.
  • Comment inside the consultation period, and stick to planning points such as overlooking, loss of light, parking and design. Our Bromley planning applications page explains how to find an application and what counts as a planning reason.
  • For larger schemes, contact your ward councillor early. Under the council’s plans they will have three weeks from the weekly list to ask for a referral, and they must give reasons.

Sources