Council stripped of planning powers by government
LDRSA council has been stripped of its authority to determine major planning applications by the government.
On Monday South Tyneside Council was one of nine across the country to be hit with a designation notice placing it under special measures, which said "there are respects in which the local planning authority is not adequately performing their function".
It means all applications for major developments may now go straight to the government Planning Inspectorate for a decision if the applicant wishes – instead of the council.
Reform council leader Paul Mackings said the council acknowledged the government's decision and was "now focused on next steps and the development of our action plan".
In making the decision, the government considered data for the two years prior to the end of March 2025, alongside subsequent appeals up until the end of December, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
Council officers have said the designation does not affect major planning applications which the local authority has already received.
What counts as major?
Planning applications involving housing are "major" if they involve 10 or more houses, flats, or other places where people live, or if the number of homes is not provided in the application and the site area is 0.5 hectares (1 acre) or more.
Non-housing applications are considered "major" if the floorspace of the proposed building is 1,000 sq m (10,764 sq ft) or more, or if the site area is one hectare (2.5 acres) or more.
Developments involving minerals or waste development are also classed as "major".
In September last year, the council's planning committee was warned a number of recent lost appeals had tipped the council over a "threshold" that had put the local authority at "risk of designation" by the government.
At that time council chiefs confirmed the situation was linked to appeals for three major planning applications.
These were the development at the former Simonside Arms site, a battery energy storage system scheme in West Boldon and the Whitburn Lodge housing development.
South Tyneside CouncilMackings said: "We take this matter seriously, recognising the importance of strong and consistent planning decisions in supporting new homes, jobs and investment."
He said the council had already started a training programme for members of the planning committee which would "appreciate the requirements of the new national framework".
"This supports a refreshed approach towards economic growth and housing supply for our residents and businesses," he said.
However, he said the period assessed by the government "does not reflect our overall long-term performance" and the council "continues to perform strongly in terms of speed and quality of decision-making on non-major applications".
"We will now work closely with government and the planning advisory service to ensure the designation can be lifted as soon as possible," he said.
It will remain in force until revoked by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.