7 New Housing Powers for Mayors under the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026
Thursday 30th of April 2026
1. A statutory strategic housing role within new Strategic Authorities
The Act formally establishes Strategic Authorities as the standard model for mayoral devolution across England. These authorities now have housing included as a core policy area alongside:
• Strategic planning
• Regeneration
• Transport
• Economic growth
• Infrastructure delivery
This means housing is no longer handled only through bespoke devolution deals. It becomes part of the default mayoral governance framework.
2. Stronger powers to intervene in planning decisions
Mayors can now play a more direct role in planning where schemes are considered strategically important.
These powers include the ability to:
• Intervene in significant planning applications
• Shape spatial priorities across authority boundaries
• Support region-wide development strategies
• Align housing growth with infrastructure investment
This strengthens mayoral influence over where large housing developments happen and how they progress.
3. Introduction of mayoral Community Infrastructure Levy (Mayoral CIL)
The Act allows mayors to introduce a mayoral Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) across their Strategic Authority area.
This enables them to:
• Raise funding from development
• Pool infrastructure investment regionally
• Support delivery of housing-related infrastructure
Funding can typically support:
• Transport schemes
• Utilities upgrades
• Schools and health facilities
• Flood mitigation
• Strategic regeneration infrastructure
The model already operates in London and is now being extended beyond the capital.
4. Requirement to produce Local Growth Plans
Mayors must now prepare Local Growth Plans aligned with national priorities.
These plans bring together:
• Housing delivery priorities
• Infrastructure sequencing
• Employment land strategy
• Regeneration investment
They become the central framework guiding how development is coordinated across the Strategic Authority area.
5. Expanded use of mayoral development corporations
The Act strengthens the framework for using mayoral development corporations (MDCs) to deliver regeneration and housing.
These corporations can:
• Assemble land
• Prepare masterplans
• Coordinate infrastructure delivery
• Partner with developers
• Deliver housing schemes
• In some cases act as the planning authority within designated areas
They are intended for:
• Town centre regeneration
• Brownfield redevelopment
• New settlements
• Transport-linked growth corridors
• Large strategic housing sites
6. A statutory “right to request” further devolved powers
Established Strategic Authorities led by mayors now have a formal right to request additional powers from government.
In housing-related areas this could include future requests relating to:
• Land assembly powers
• Regeneration delivery functions
• Housing funding influence
• Partnerships with national delivery agencies
This creates a structured pathway for expanding mayoral housing roles over time.
7. Duty to consider health improvement and inequality reduction
Strategic Authorities must consider improving health and reducing inequalities when exercising their functions.
While not a housing power in itself, this duty influences how mayors approach regeneration, planning and place-based investment decisions linked to housing delivery.
What the Act does not change
The legislation does not transfer:
• Ownership of council housing stock
• Landlord responsibilities
• Consumer Standards regulation
• Homes England grant control
• Tenancy management functions
Those remain with existing organisations unless separately devolved through future agreements.