The Strategic Planning (Consequential and Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2026
Updated regional planning frameworks by revoking the Yorkshire and Humber strategy and standardizing spatial development powers across major English combined authorities.
These Regulations update England's strategic planning framework by revoking obsolete regional strategies and aligning the powers of combined authorities with the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025.
The instrument removes specific spatial development strategy provisions for Greater Manchester, Liverpool City Region, the West of England, and the North East, moving these functions under a unified statutory regime. It applies to strategic planning authorities, including mayoral combined authorities and the Greater London Authority, and formally integrates these bodies into the statutory duty to assist with plan-making.
Arguments For
The explanatory note states that the regulations are necessary to align secondary legislation with the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025, which introduced a unified framework for strategic planning.
The document indicates that the amendments remove duplicate or contradictory provisions regarding the strategic planning functions of combined authorities to ensure legal consistency.
The order asserts that omitting temporary modifications related to the coronavirus pandemic is necessary to remove out-of-date provisions from the statute book.
Proponents may argue that adding strategic planning authorities to the list of bodies required to assist with plan-making ensures better coordination across local government boundaries.
Arguments Against
Local government bodies may face administrative burdens during the transition from existing combined authority spatial strategy rules to the new framework under the 2004 Act.
Critics might question the full revocation of the Regional Strategy for Yorkshire and Humber if any residual planning policies were still relied upon by local councils.
Legal scholars might note that the instrument relies on the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025, meaning its effectiveness is tied to the successful commencement and implementation of that primary legislation.
Citation, commencement and extent
- 1.-(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Strategic Planning (Consequential and Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2026.
- (2) These Regulations come into force on 26th November 2026.
- (3) These Regulations extend to England and Wales.
This section establishes the official name of the regulations and sets the date they become legally active as 26th November 2026.
It also specifies that the legal reach of the document covers both England and Wales.
Revocation of the Regional Strategy for Yorkshire and Humber
- The Regional Strategy for Yorkshire and Humber is revoked to the extent that it has not already been revoked(5).
This regulation cancels any remaining parts of the Regional Strategy for Yorkshire and Humber that were still in legal force.
This action completes the process of removing this specific regional planning tier started by previous orders.
Revocation of certain instruments
- The instruments listed in the Schedule are revoked.
This section gives legal effect to the list of cancellations found at the end of the document.
It effectively removes three specific sets of regulations regarding combined authority spatial strategies and pandemic-related planning amendments.
Amendment to the Town and Country Planning (London Spatial Development Strategy) Regulations 2000
- In the Town and Country Planning (London Spatial Development Strategy) Regulations 2000(6), omit Part 5 (coronavirus: temporary modifications).
This section removes temporary rules that were introduced to manage London's spatial planning during the COVID-19 pandemic.
By omitting Part 5, the regulation restores the standard operating procedures for the London Spatial Development Strategy.
Amendment to the Greater Manchester Combined Authority Order 2011
- In the Greater Manchester Combined Authority Order 2011(7), in Schedule 1 (constitution), in paragraph 3 (proceedings), omit sub-paragraph (2A).
This regulation amends the internal governing rules of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority by removing a specific sub-paragraph regarding its proceedings.
This change is part of the wider effort to align the authority's operations with new national planning legislation.
Amendments to the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (Functions and Amendment) Order 2016
- 6.-(1) The Greater Manchester Combined Authority (Functions and Amendment) Order 2016(8) is amended as follows.
- (2) Omit article 3 (spatial development strategy).
- (3) Omit article 4 (adaptation of enactments in consequence of article 3).
- (4) In article 15 (general functions of the GMCA exercisable only by the Mayor)-
- (a) in paragraph (1)(b), omit paragraph (i);
- (b) omit paragraph (4).
- (5) Omit Schedule 1 (spatial development strategy).
This section removes the specific powers and schedules that previously allowed the Greater Manchester Mayor to create a unique spatial development strategy.
These functions are being replaced by the standardized strategic planning powers introduced by the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025.
Amendments to the West of England Combined Authority Order 2017
- 7.-(1) The West of England Combined Authority Order 2017(9) is amended as follows.
- (2) Omit article 10 (spatial development strategy).
- (3) Omit article 11 (adaptation of enactments in consequence of article 10).
- (4) In article 22(1)(b) (general functions of the Combined Authority exercisable only by the Mayor), omit paragraph (ii).
- (5) In Schedule 1 (constitution), in paragraph 4, omit sub-paragraph (7).
- (6) Omit Schedule 2 (spatial development strategy).
This section repeals the specific articles and schedules that granted the West of England Combined Authority the power to develop its own spatial strategy.
It ensures the Mayor's planning functions now fall under the unified national framework for strategic planning authorities.
Amendments to the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (Functions and Amendment) Order 2017
- 8.-(1) The Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (Functions and Amendment) Order 2017(10) is amended as follows.
- (2) Omit article 3 (spatial development strategy).
- (3) Omit article 4 (adaptation of enactments in consequence of article 3).
- (4) In article 19 (general functions of the Combined Authority exercisable only by the Mayor)-
- (a) in paragraph (1)(b), omit paragraph (ii);
- (b) omit paragraph (3).
- (5) Omit Schedule 1 (spatial development strategy).
This regulation removes the individualized spatial development strategy provisions for the Liverpool City Region.
It aligns the Mayor's planning duties with the new requirements for strategic planning authorities across England.
Amendments to the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning, Development Management Procedure, Listed Buildings etc.) (England) (Coronavirus) (Amendment) Regulations 2020
- 9.-(1) The Town and Country Planning (Local Planning, Development Management Procedure, Listed Buildings etc.) (England) (Coronavirus) (Amendment) Regulations 2020(11) are amended as follows.
- (2) Omit regulation 2 (amendment to the Town and Country Planning (London Spatial Development Strategy) Regulations 2000).
- (3) Omit regulation 4 (amendment to the Combined Authorities (Spatial Development Strategy) Regulations 2018).
This section removes previous amendments that had modified London and combined authority planning rules in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
By omitting these regulations, the document cleans up temporary legislative changes that are no longer applicable.
Amendments to the North East Mayoral Combined Authority (Establishment and Functions) Order 2024
- 10.-(1) The North East Mayoral Combined Authority (Establishment and Functions) Order 2024(12) is amended as follows.
- (2) Omit article 37 (spatial development strategy).
- (3) Omit article 38 (adaptation of enactments in consequence of article 37).
- (4) In article 42(2) (functions), omit sub-paragraph (b).
- (5) In Schedule 1 (constitution), in paragraph 2-
- (a) omit sub-paragraph (7);
- (b) omit sub-paragraph (8).
- (6) Omit Schedule 5 (spatial development strategy).
This section repeals the specific spatial strategy powers recently granted to the North East Mayoral Combined Authority.
The authority will instead exercise its strategic planning functions through the new Part 1A of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004.
Amendments to the Requirement to Assist with Certain Plan Making (Prescribed Public Bodies) (England) Regulations 2026
- In the Requirement to Assist with Certain Plan Making (Prescribed Public Bodies) (England) Regulations 2026(13), in regulation 2 (prescribed public bodies), in paragraph (2)-
- (a) in the definition of "the area to which the relevant plan relates", at the end insert-
- "(e) in relation to a spatial development strategy under Part 8 of the Greater London Authority Act 1999(14), Greater London;
- (f) in relation to a spatial development strategy within the meaning of Part 1A of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004(15), the strategy area(16);";
- (b) in the definition of "relevant authority", at the end insert-
- "(f) a strategic planning authority(17);".
This section expands the list of bodies required to cooperate in the plan-making process to include strategic planning authorities and the Greater London Authority.
It ensures that these bodies have a formal duty to assist other authorities when creating spatial development strategies for their respective areas.
Schedule
Regulation 3
Revocations
- The following instruments are revoked-
- (a) the Combined Authorities (Spatial Development Strategy) Regulations 2018(18);
- (b) the Combined Authorities (Spatial Development Strategy) (Amendment) Regulations 2018(19);
- (c) the Town and Country Planning (Spatial Development Strategy) (Coronavirus) (Amendment) Regulations 2020(20).
The schedule lists the three specific statutory instruments that are fully revoked by this order.
These revocations remove older frameworks for combined authority strategies and temporary pandemic-era adjustments.
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