On 31 October 2026, the National Scheme of Delegation comes into effect, reshaping how many planning applications are determined across England. The ambition is clear. Streamline decision-making, reduce unnecessary delay and accelerate the delivery of much-needed homes. At Calibro, we welcome that ambition.
But delegation alone won’t make planning faster. Giving officers greater authority to make more decisions is only part of the picture. Those decisions still need to be supported by robust evidence, clear understanding and professional confidence.
In our view, the real opportunity lies in creating a planning process where challenges are identified earlier, conversations happen sooner and solutions are developed collaboratively. Because while delegation may shorten the route to a decision, collaboration can make the journey smoother from the very beginning.
A faster decision still needs a sound technical basis.
The new Scheme changes the route that many applications will take to determination with fewer referred to committee. It doesn’t change the fundamentals of good planning. Officers, consultees and decision-makers still need rigorous transport assessment, clear evidence and sound professional judgement. Technical questions still need answers. Concerns still need to be understood and resolved. And proposals still need to demonstrate that they work for future residents and the wider community.
Delegation can shorten the route to decision. Collaboration can speed up the journey.
Over many years of working with planning and highway officers, developers and other stakeholders, we’ve seen the difference that a collaborative approach makes. The applications that progress most effectively aren’t necessarily those where difficult questions never arise. They’re often those where the right people are able to get around the table early, understand the challenge and work together to find the solution.
The traditional “consult and respond” approach can create delay almost by design. A question is raised in a formal consultation response. The project team prepares a written response. That response goes back for consultation. Another question follows. And weeks can pass between exchanges. There will always be a place for formal consultation and a clear technical record. But it shouldn’t define how we communicate and work together. A conversation can establish what sits behind a concern. A meeting can identify exactly what evidence is needed. Early engagement can expose an issue while there is still time to design it out. And ongoing dialogue can prevent a straightforward question becoming another round of consultation. That’s not about avoiding scrutiny or finding shortcuts. It’s about resolving the right issues, with the right people, at the right time.
If the National Scheme of Delegation is to achieve its objective of faster decision-making, collaboration throughout the planning process, from the earliest stages of a proposal through to determination, becomes increasingly important.
For Calibro, this isn’t a new way of working.
The Scheme may be new on 31 October. Our approach isn’t. Collaboration with officers, decision-makers and stakeholders is already embedded in how we work. It runs throughout the planning process, from the earliest conversations about a site, through design and assessment, to determination and delivery.
We don’t wait for a consultation response to tell us there is a problem if we can identify and address it earlier. We want to understand what matters to decision-makers, what evidence they will need and where potential areas of challenge lie while there is still an opportunity to shape proposals. That is part of what we mean by designing it right from the outset. And it’s inseparable from our approach to being narrative-driven and evidence-led.
The narrative provides a clear and compelling understanding of the proposal, the place and the outcomes it is seeking to deliver. The evidence provides the robust technical foundation to support it. Collaboration ensures both are understood by the people who ultimately need to make, or inform, the decision.
Rigorous evidence. Human Conversations.
Strong relationships are not a substitute for robust technical work. They help that work achieve better outcomes. Good professional relationships create space for challenge, discussion and understanding. They allow concerns to be explored properly, assumptions to be tested and solutions to be developed collectively. Where professional opinions differ, they help keep everyone focused on finding a way forward. Because planning is ultimately a human process.
Behind every application are people working to deliver better places. Behind every planning permission are people who will live, work and build their futures there.
Our human approach recognises that. It’s why we invest in relationships throughout the planning process, not simply because it helps secure decisions, but because it helps create better outcomes.
Ready for what’s next
The National Scheme of Delegation represents a significant shift in how planning decisions are made. It has the potential to make the process more efficient and help unlock delivery more quickly. But speed will still depend on quality. Quality of evidence. Quality of engagement. Quality of communication. And quality of relationships. Those are the things that help decision-makers understand a proposal, give consultees confidence and resolve issues before they become barriers.
For Calibro, that isn’t a new way of working. We’ve always believed that strong technical evidence must be combined with a compelling narrative, that designing it right from the outset is fundamental to success, and that working collaboratively throughout the process delivers better outcomes. Faster decisions aren’t about doing less. It’s about bringing the right people together sooner, solving the right problems earlier and creating the confidence needed to say yes.