Mayors to get new powers over planning decisions under Burnham proposals

What it is about

Who published it, and when

How it spread - 34 original reports, 1 reprint

1. Sun, 23 August 2026

   2 reports
   • The Guardian World08:17first to reportedited after publishing ×2
     Mayors to get new powers over planning decisions under Burnham proposals

     previouslyBurnham expected to give mayors new powers over local planning decisions

     Move would allow mayors to greenlight large developments and have more say on national housing funding Andy Burnham will give mayors new powers to take control of local planning decisions and greenlight large-scale developments in proposals to be presented this week. The move will allow mayors to “call in” the decisions and direct councils to take them forward or refuse them. They will also be able to grant upfront permission so developers can start building without having to apply. Continue...

   • droitwichstandard.co.uk16:56
     Mayors to be given new powers to override councils on major planning decisions

     Regional mayors are set to be handed new powers to intervene in major planning applications and override decisions made by local councils under Government.

     1 reprint

     • stratfordobserver.co.uk23 Aug, 16:56their copy
2. Wed, 26 August 2026

   2 reports
   • Bloomberg Politics13:07edited after publishing
     Burnham Mulls Giving Mayors Power to Stop Right-to-Buy Sales

     previouslyBurnham Mulls Giving UK Mayors Power to Block Right-to-Buy Sales

     The UK’s Labour government is considering giving mayors the power to block the sale of council-owned homes to the people renting them, a policy brought in by Margaret Thatcher in the 1980s that has riled left-wing politicians ever since.

   • independent.co.uk17:26
     Just 4% of homes under Labour’s council housing ‘comeback’ will be council-owned

     Exclusive: Labour’s new council housebuilding drive has been called a ‘con’ as new figures show only a small proportion will actually be built by councils

3. Mon, 31 August 2026

   1 report
   • ČT24 (Czechia)04:00
     Mění se zákon o podpoře bydlení, část agendy přebírají úřady práce

     Od září se změní zákon o podpoře bydlení. Rozšíří se počet kontaktních míst, budou dostupné ve všech 205 obcích s rozšířenou působností. Část agendy převezmou od obcí úřady práce.

4. Tue, 1 September 2026

   1 report
   • Politico Europe02:26
     Labour’s new housing model comes from California’s backyards

     A quarter of all homes approved in California in 2025 were so-called granny flats, according to analysis.

5. Wed, 2 September 2026

   1 report
   • nzherald.co.nz21:00
     Town planners will finally have to answer for land prices

     OPINION: A new planning law will make councils act when their rules drive up land prices.

6. Fri, 4 September 2026

   1 report
   • El País (Spain)03:30
     Los ayuntamientos son la llave del problema de la vivienda

     Hacen falta medidas que lleven al sector financiero a liberar suelo urbanizado y consolidado, imprescindible para satisfacer la demanda de pisos

7. Fri, 11 September 2026

   1 report
   • erewashsound.com16:52
     Mayor of the East Midlands elected to lead UK Mayors Network

     The Mayor of the East Midlands, Claire Ward, has been elected by her fellow mayors to chair the UK Mayors Network - giving her a national leadership role as Government devolves more power to regions.

8. Thu, 17 September 2026

   1 report
   • droitwichstandard.co.uk16:25
     Wychavon takes Government to High Court over planning powers

     WYCHAVON District Council is taking the Government to the High Court in a legal battle over the removal of some of its powers to decide major planning.

9. Tue, 22 September 2026

   1 report
   • The Guardian World23:01
     England’s mayors should face greater scrutiny as powers expand, thinktank says

     IPPR North says one bad decision could derail devolution agenda as regions gain control of billions in funding England’s mayors should face much greater official scrutiny to avoid Andy Burnham’s devolution agenda being “derailed by one bad decision”, a thinktank has said. Ministers will set out plans next month to give regional leaders control over potentially billions of pounds of additional funding under a “transformational” shift of power outside Whitehall. Continue reading...

10. Sun, 27 September 2026

    1 report
    • dissexpress.co.uk00:45
      Councils will be given more powers to seize empty homes and bring them into use

      Housing Secretary Angela Rayner set out the plans at Labour’s annual conference.

11. Wed, 30 September 2026

    1 report
    • The Guardian World06:08
      Half a million trees to be planted in England in three years, says government

      Exclusive: Environment secretary Angela Eagle to make pledge as part of efforts to protect against extreme weather Half a million trees will be planted across England in the next three years to protect against extreme weather, the environment secretary, Angela Eagle, will pledge on Wednesday morning. Mayors, local authorities, charities and grassroots groups will be given new funding and responsibilities for restoring natural landscapes such as wetlands, river edges and meadows, which can...

12. Fri, 2 October 2026

    1 report
    • Bloomberg Politics15:36
      Burnham Could Give UK Mayors 20% of Any Business Tax Growth

      Britain’s mayors will be given a 20% share in any revenue growth from local business taxes to spend on their policies, under a proposal by Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s government.

13. Sat, 3 October 2026

    1 report
    • birminghammail.co.uk13:35
      Andy Burnham and Angela Rayner confirms plans to confiscate private homes

      Prime Minister Mr Burnham and his Housing Secretary, Ms Rayner, have unveiled a plan

14. Mon, 5 October 2026

    1 report
    • derbytelegraph.co.uk05:37
      Empty homes could be seized as Andy Burnham and Angela Rayner change rules

      The Prime Minister and his Housing Secretary have announced the plans

15. Tue, 13 October 2026

    1 report
    • The Guardian World11:59
      Burnham’s Your First Home scheme ‘could boost Bellway’s house output by 10%’

      Help-to-buy initiative for England could slow market while first-time buyers wait for launch, builder admits Business live – latest updates The new Your First Home programme for first-time buyers could increase the number of houses British builder Bellway produces each year by 10%, its boss has said. Faced with a chronic shortage of homes, the government has made housing one of its top priorities and Andy Burnham’s surprise announcement of the YFH scheme a fortnight ago sent housebuilders’...

16. Wed, 14 October 2026

    1 report
    • cleantechnica.com14:40
      Bus Electrification Turns Governance Into Infrastructure

      Britain and Ireland’s bus governance experiment shows why network planning, operations and electrification infrastructure need different treatment.

17. Thu, 15 October 2026

    1 report
    • bristolpost.co.uk05:00
      Prime Minister backs major plans to build more homes and workspace in Bristol

      A huge new pot of cash has been set aside to pay for the building projects

18. Mon, 19 October 2026

    1 report
    • newburytoday.co.uk04:45
      ‘We have no meaningful choice. It is an unnecessary disgrace’

      United in disbelief – West Berkshire Council last night reluctantly voted through new planning rules.

19. Tue, 20 October 2026

    1 report
    • oceanfm.ie14:29
      Minister accuses some local authorities of being too reliant on turnkey homes

      The Housing Minister's accusing some local authorities of being too reliant on the purchase of turnkey homes to deal with the housing crisis. Cabinet today agre...

20. Wed, 21 October 2026

    1 report
    • Politico Europe17:30
      Louise Haigh riles up lobbyists with war on UK ‘consultation culture’

      Businesses are warning that plans to scale back Whitehall consultations risk making engagement "exclusionary."

21. Fri, 23 October 2026

    2 reports
    • bristolpost.co.uk10:42
      Tighter control over buses in Bristol region could be on the way

      More details will be revealed in the next couple of months

    • english.pravda.ru11:19
      Cambridge Planning Power Shift: Officers Now Decide, Councillors Left Powerless

      Cambridge City Council will implement the National Scheme of Delegation on 31 October 2026, requiring planning officers rather than elected committees to decide

22. Sat, 24 October 2026

    1 report
    • nottinghampost.com21:30
      £285m of government funding to help Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire 'thrive'

      Funding will be allocated to allow leaders to 'get projects moving, build homes and make the right decisions for their areas'

23. Sun, 25 October 2026

    1 report
    • thejournal.ie00:05
      Housing insiders warn construction could slump with minister's new plan

      The changes were announced to little fanfare this week, but have set off alarm bells in the housing sector.

24. Wed, 28 October 2026

    1 report
    • Al Jazeera English06:05
      ‘Working our fingers to the bone’: Can the UK save its struggling high streets?

      Small business owners in Britain may get some tax relief in Wednesday's budget, but they say it will not be enough.

25. Fri, 30 October 2026

    2 reports
    • The Guardian World10:00
      Britain’s blighted high streets will improve by next election, says Rayner

      Housing secretary says Labour wants to reverse fortunes of towns plagued by boarded-up shops and rogue businesses Angela Rayner has said voters will begin to see a difference in their high street before the next general election as Labour prioritises investment in struggling local communities. The housing secretary said the government had made it a top priority before the country goes to the polls to begin turning around the fortunes of places blighted by boarded-up shops and rogue businesses....

    • english.pravda.ru11:22
      Cambridgeshire council restructure delayed to 2027

      The UK government has deferred the decision on Cambridgeshire's council structure to early 2027, with implementation now targeted for April 2029.

26. Mon, 2 November 2026

    1 report
    • thebusinessdesk.com08:19
      West of England mayor backs brownfield sites as government launches £700m fund

      New Strategic Sites Accelerator targets biggest strategic investment sites across country

27. Wed, 4 November 2026

    1 report
    • Politico Europe03:00
      Burnham revives hopes UK’s crumbling parliament will get a fix

      Successive governments have been reluctant to touch the costly overhaul needed to the seat of British democracy.

28. Fri, 6 November 2026

    2 reports
    • leicestermercury.co.uk06:00
      Council tax to rise as part of Leicestershire to get new council

      Locl elections will be held next year to elect 16 arish councillors

    • cambridge-news.co.uk12:00
      Homes will be built despite fears they will put too much pressure on village

      South Cambridgeshire residents objected to the homes they feared would overwhelm the village

29. Sun, 8 November 2026

    1 report
    • liverpoolecho.co.uk16:45
      Hundreds of affordable homes coming to these areas of Merseyside

      This comes as the demand for affordable housing continues to grow in Sefton