Glossary
Delegated decisions: how most London applications end
An application decided by an officer rather than committee. Almost all householder applications.
An application decided by an officer rather than committee. Almost all householder applications.
A delegated decision is a planning application determined by planning officers under powers delegated by the council's committee, rather than by councillors at a committee meeting. Around 90% of applications nationally are decided this way, and almost all householder applications are.
Each council publishes a scheme of delegation. The usual triggers are a set number of objections — often three or more from separate addresses — a call-in by a ward councillor, an officer recommendation contrary to policy, an application by the council itself or by a councillor or officer, and major development above a floorspace or dwelling threshold.
A committee route adds four to eight weeks in practice, because the case has to wait for a meeting date and the report has to be published in advance.
No. It has exactly the same legal force as a committee decision and the same appeal rights. The difference is procedural: there is no public speaking slot and the officer's report is the whole record of the reasoning.
Neighbour objections are the usual trigger, so pre-application engagement with the immediate neighbours matters more than most applicants expect. Providing clear existing and proposed elevations, a daylight explanation where a boundary is tight, and accurate 1:1250 and 1:500 plans reduces the objections that arise from misunderstanding rather than genuine harm.
A worked Wandsworth example of delegated decision: with 45 conservation areas — the Wandsworth Common Conservation Area and the Clapham Common West Conservation Area among the best known — London Borough of Wandsworth (Wandsworth Council) sees delegated decision constantly, and an Article 4 direction is in force there, so permitted development cannot be assumed. Where delegated decision pushes a Wandsworth scheme out of permitted development, the route becomes a £548 application decided in 8 weeks rather than a £249 prior approval in 6 weeks.
| Share of decisions | Around 90% nationally |
|---|---|
| Set by | The council's scheme of delegation |
| Common committee trigger | Three or more objections, or a councillor call-in |
| Added time if referred | Typically 4–8 weeks |
| Legal force | Identical to a committee decision |
| Householder determination period | 8 weeks |
Only indirectly, by asking a ward councillor to call it in.
No. Neighbour notification and the 21-day consultation period apply either way.
Yes, on the same terms as any refusal.
Pick a slot that suits you. No obligation and no sales pressure, just straight answers on your planning route.
