16/09/2026
Thank you to Cllrs Dave Doyle & Harry Atkinson who regularly attend meetings of Sawley Community Council and give reports on Erewash Borough Council matters
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🏘️ EREWASH COUNCILLORS TO HAVE LESS SAY OVER SOME PLANNING APPLICATIONS
Members of Sawley Community Council were informed last night by Borough Councillor Dave Doyle of upcoming changes to how planning decisions are made in Erewash.
What’s changing — from 31 October
• Most applications for developments of up to nine homes will be decided by planning officers, not councillors on the Planning Committee.
• House extensions, household alterations, and minor commercial changes (e.g. shopfronts) will also normally be decided by officers.
• Two key routes to committee are being removed:
◦ ❌ Local councillors can no longer request an application be referred to committee.
◦ ❌ The threshold of four or more objections triggering a committee hearing is being abolished.
What this means for residents
• You still have the right to comment or object, and valid concerns must still be considered.
• But the number of objections no longer guarantees a public committee decision — even strong local opposition may not be enough to send it to councillors.
• Larger or more significant applications may still go to committee — only if both the Head of Planning AND the Committee Chair agree there is a compelling local or planning reason.
Important note
These are new national rules — Erewash Borough Council is legally required to implement them; this is not a local decision.
The formal amendments will be considered at the Erewash General Purposes Committee, Tuesday 22 September.
Sawley Borough Councillors Harry Atkinson & Dave Doyle regularly report matters to your local community council.
