Uttlesford District Council loses power to decide on major plans

Uttlesford District Council was "not adequately performing" when it came to determining applications, the government said

A council has had its power to make decisions on major planning applications removed by the government.

Uttlesford District Council in Essex was "not adequately performing" when it came to determining applications, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) said.

Developers can now apply directly to the government's Planning Inspectorate.

The council, run by the independent Residents for Uttlesford party, said it was "disappointed".

DLUHC said 16.5% of the council's major planning decisions were overturned at appeal during the two years to March 2020.

The threshold for intervention is 10% of decisions overturned at appeal in a two-year period, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

In its decision notice, the DLUHC said the local planning authority was not "adequately performing their function of determining applications for planning permission for major development".

The government department said the council would "now need to improve its performance" and it would work with the authority "so that the designation can be lifted as soon as possible".

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The council, which is based in Saffron Walden and covers Stansted Airport, said it was "disappointed" but not surprised by the decision, and would put together a response to the government over the coming days.

It said it would "recommit to making the substantial improvements necessary".

The council said it had been notified it was underperforming in October 2021.

Opposition councillors said "things are getting worse, not better" and claimed the decision could cause "environmental damage" to the Uttlesford countryside.