Mandated the delegation of specific planning decisions to local authority officers and capped the size of planning committees at 13 members.

These regulations mandate how local planning authorities in England must distribute decision-making powers between elected member committees and unelected officers for various types of planning applications.

The instrument requires smaller-scale applications, such as householder and minor residential projects, to be determined by officers, while allowing larger or more significant developments to be referred to a committee of no more than 13 members.

These requirements apply to all relevant local planning authorities in England beginning 31 October 2026.

Transferred local planning authority and specific statutory functions for the Oxford Street development area to the Oxford Street Development Corporation.

This Order establishes the Oxford Street Development Corporation as the local planning authority for its designated development area, effective 10 August 2026.

It transfers planning functions from the London boroughs of Camden and the City of Westminster to the Corporation and grants it specific powers related to land compensation, listed buildings, hazardous substances, and tree preservation.

The Order also defines transitional arrangements for pending planning applications, enforcement actions, and appeals to ensure continuity of service during the transfer of authority.

Activated legal provisions establishing a new Local Audit Office and reforming local government pension accounting and audit committee requirements from 15 July 2026.

This instrument brings into force several sections of the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026 on 15 July 2026, primarily affecting local authorities and pension scheme managers in England.

It establishes the Local Audit Office, mandates audit committees for Category 1 authorities, and introduces new requirements for cooperation between local government pension scheme managers.

The regulations also authorize the separation of pension scheme accounts and modify how smaller authorities are categorized for audit purposes when financial reviews are outstanding.

Updated the statutory reference date for calculating the cumulative value of local authority contract and land disposals from 2006 to 2025.

The Local Government (Structural and Boundary Changes) (Control of Disposals etc.) (Amendment) Order 2026 amends the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 to update the baseline date used for calculating the value of land disposals and contracts by local authorities facing dissolution.

The Order requires these authorities to account for transactions made after 31 March 2025, rather than 31 December 2006, when determining if a contract exceeds the threshold requiring written consent from a specified person or the Secretary of State.

The Order applies to local authorities in England that are subject to structural or boundary change orders.

Established mandatory content and documentation requirements for formal notices issued to landowners before authorized persons enter property for infrastructure planning purposes.

These Regulations prescribe the specific information and documentation that an authorized person must include in a notice of entry provided to owners and occupiers of land.

The requirements apply to land entry sought under section 53 of the Planning Act 2008 for surveying, taking levels, or ensuring compliance related to nationally significant infrastructure projects.

The Regulations mandate the inclusion of details regarding the purpose of entry, the specific dates and times planned, information regarding the recipient's legal rights, and warnings concerning the consequences of obstruction.

Specified independent remuneration panels and amended regional authority constitutions to permit allowances for members with special responsibilities.

This Order establishes the regulatory framework for independent remuneration panels to recommend allowances for members of combined authorities (CAs) and combined county authorities (CCAs) in England who have special responsibilities.

It directs that panels established under existing 2017 regulations function as the "relevant remuneration panels" for the purposes of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009 and the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023.

The Order applies to across multiple regional authorities—including Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire, and the Tees Valley—by amending their specific constitutive orders to permit certain allowance payments as exceptions to general prohibitions on member remuneration.

Amended the criteria for classifying self-catering accommodation as non-domestic property for business rating purposes in England.

This Order amends the Local Government Finance Act 1988 to modify the definition of domestic property in England specifically concerning self-catering accommodation.

It directs that the standard requirements for a property to have been available for 140 days and actually let for 70 days in the previous year to qualify as non-domestic do not apply to properties occupied with other non-domestic land or to sites containing five or more self-catering units.

These changes apply to property owners, valuation officers, and local billing authorities responsible for determining whether a property is subject to non-domestic rates or council tax.

Mandated a hierarchy for Natural England to prioritize avoiding environmental damage over mitigation or compensation in development plans as of July 2026.

These Regulations establish a hierarchy of conservation measures that Natural England must follow when drafting or amending Environmental Delivery Plans (EDPs) under the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025.

The agency is directed to prioritize avoidance of environmental damage over mitigation, and mitigation over compensation, provided such prioritisation is deemed appropriate and delivers value for money.

These rules apply specifically to Natural England's administrative processes in England and require the agency to explicitly categorize all proposed conservation measures within their plans.