Councillors shouldn't be able to veto approved self build sites, new report says

Securing planning permission can be the biggest hurdle for self-builders - especially when councillors can block homes on sites already allocated for housing in local plans.

These allocated sites, identified through the local planning process as suitable for development, are not the same as sites with full planning permission.

They have been approved in principle but still require individual applications to be submitted and assessed. Despite complying with local policy, applications on these sites can still be delayed or rejected by planning committees.

A new report from Centre for Cities warns that allowing committees to veto these “allocated” sites risks derailing the Government’s 1.5 million homes target and hitting small builders hardest. Their solution? Classify such sites as Tier A, so planning officers, not politicians, make the final call.

The problem: Political vetoes on approved sites

The Government’s Planning and Infrastructure Bill aims to streamline planning decisions by introducing a national scheme of delegation (NSoD). Applications will be split into two groups:

• Tier A: Decided solely by professional planners, no committee interference
• Tier B: Can be called in for councillor review under certain planning conditions

Sounds simple, but here’s the catch: sites already allocated for housing in local plans, where permission should be straightforward, are still classed as Tier B. This means councillors retain the power to block or delay even compliant applications.

For self-builders, this adds unnecessary risk, costs and emotional stress. The Centre for Cities report highlights cases where planning committees blocked nearly 900 homes on allocated sites despite officers’ approval.

Why this matters for self-builders

Self-builders rarely have the legal teams or budgets to fight appeals or political battles over planning decisions. When committees block allocated sites:

• You face unpredictable delays
• Costs can spiral as you navigate appeals
• Projects may become unviable altogether

According to the report: “Allowing allocated sites to be blocked by councillors puts them under unnecessary political pressure, weakens local plans and the plan-led system.”

Local plans and design codes represent the community’s collective decision about where housing should go and once approved, those decisions should be trusted, according to the Centre for Cities report.

The solution: Make allocated sites Tier A

The report urges the Government to classify all allocated sites as Tier A, meaning:

• Planning officers decide applications on sites already agreed for housing
• No political call-ins to block compliant applications
• Greater certainty and speed for small builders and self-builders

This would protect councillors from local pressure to block homes that comply with the plan, while restoring faith in a plan-led system that’s currently weakened by politicised micro-management of individual applications.

The Centre for Cities report also suggests:

• Giving applicants the right to request a committee call-in if needed (for political buy-in on sensitive projects)
• Allowing applicants refused by officers to appeal to committees (to check overly strict officers)
• Classifying mid-rise developments (10-50 homes) in big metro areas as Tier A (to help urban builders)

These changes, the Centre for Cities said, would balance removing unnecessary delays with protecting democratic oversight, and help small builders navigate the system more confidently.