The Development Committee of Tower Hamlets Council met on Tuesday 1 September 2026 to discuss a planning application for a two-storey roof extension to the Theatre Building and to note changes to the National Scheme of Delegation. The committee granted planning permission for the roof extension, subject to conditions and a Section 106 Agreement, and also noted the proposed changes to the committee's terms of reference.

Theatre Building, 1 Paton Close, London E3

The committee granted planning permission for a two-storey roof extension to the Theatre Building at 1 Paton Close, London E3. The development will provide nine new dwellings, along with associated cycle parking, refuse and recycling storage, amenity space, landscaping, and restoration works to the existing façade. The decision was made by a vote of four in favour, one against, and zero abstentions.

Councillor Mads Churchhouse voted against the proposal, citing concerns about the lack of affordable housing provision. She stated that the application would have been more acceptable if it had included affordable housing in line with the Local Plan and Policy DH2.

The application, PA/25/01155, was for a development that would add nine dwellings to the existing six-storey building. The proposal included a two-storey roof extension, with the new units comprising two one-bedroom, four two-bedroom, and three three-bedroom flats. The development also featured associated cycle parking, refuse and recycling storage, and a communal rooftop amenity space. The applicant, W&R Buxton Limited Pension Fund, had previously received a resolution to grant planning permission for a similar scheme in 2021.

During the meeting, objectors raised concerns about the adequacy of bin storage, the practicality of the proposed cycle parking arrangements, and the structural implications of adding two storeys to the building. They also highlighted potential impacts on existing residents during construction and operation.

The applicant's representative emphasised that the current proposal was substantially the same as the previously approved scheme and highlighted the policy support for optimising previously developed land to deliver additional housing. They also stated that the scheme had been assessed as acceptable in terms of design, heritage, residential amenity, and fire safety.

Officers confirmed that the proposal had been assessed against the London Plan 2021 and the Tower Hamlets Local Plan 2020. They noted that while there was an under-provision of one and two-bedroom dwellings against policy targets, the proposed mix, including family-sized homes, was supported given the scheme's small size. A financial contribution towards affordable housing, amounting to £622,337.34, would be secured through a Section 106 Agreement.

The committee also discussed fire safety, with officers confirming that the Building Safety Regulator was content with the fire safety design. Concerns about cladding remediation were addressed, with a condition requiring existing cladding to be remediated before the development could proceed.

Reform of Planning Committees and National Scheme of Delegation

The committee noted the introduction of the National Scheme of Delegation (NSD) and the proposed changes to the committee's terms of reference. Paul Buckenham, Head of Development Management, presented the report, explaining that the NSD, which comes into effect on 31 October 2026, aims to provide greater consistency in planning decision-making across the country.

Under the new regulations, planning applications will be divided into two schedules. Schedule 1 applications must be delegated to officers, while Schedule 2 applications may be referred to a planning committee if a nominated officer and nominated member agree that the proposal raises significant economic, social, or environmental issues, and significant planning matters.

Key changes include the removal of local objection thresholds for referring applications to committee, meaning that a certain number of objections will no longer automatically trigger a committee hearing. Instead, referrals will be based on the gateway test. The report also outlined proposed changes to the committee's terms of reference, with a recommendation to retain both the Development Committee and the Strategic Development Committee but rebalance the types of applications considered by each.

Members expressed concerns about how the new arrangements might affect residents' ability to influence decisions and the transparency of the process. Officers assured them that representations raising material planning considerations would still be taken into account and that guidance would be provided to help residents understand how to make effective representations. They also noted that pre-application engagement could offer earlier opportunities for input.

The committee was informed that the Council would need to update its Constitution to align with the NSD, and that the proposed changes would be considered by Full Council in October. The committee resolved to note the introduction of the National Scheme of Delegation and the proposed changes to its terms of reference.