The Environment Select Committee of Kensington and Chelsea Council was scheduled to discuss the ongoing impact of a significant cyber security incident on the council's planning systems, review the effectiveness of the planning enforcement service, and consider the implications of proposed government reforms to the planning system. The committee was also set to receive the final report from its Local Plan Policies Review Working Group and an update on its work programme.

Cyber Incident and its Effect on Planning Systems

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on the ongoing challenges faced by the Planning and Place department following a cyber security incident on Monday 24 November 2025. The report detailed the impact on key business areas including Development Management, Spatial Planning, Land Charges, and Building Control. It highlighted that the incident affected Kensington and Chelsea Council, Westminster City Council, and Hammersmith and Fulham Council due to shared IT systems. The report noted that access to back-office systems, the planning register, and public consultation responses was lost, preventing the lawful determination of planning applications. While new applications received via the Planning Portal were being reviewed, the ability to issue planning advice was heavily caveated due to incomplete information. The report also detailed the impact on Spatial Planning, Land Charges, and Building Control, with the latter maintaining service provision through interim arrangements. The next steps included testing for the restoration of systems, with promising results for Land Charges and Development Management.

Planning Enforcement Review

A report was scheduled to be presented outlining the legal and policy framework of the planning enforcement regime. This report detailed the tools available to the Planning Enforcement team to control unauthorised development, discussing their advantages and disadvantages with examples of their application. The committee was asked to scrutinise the service provided by the team, which operates within the Development Management Service. The report detailed national and local legislation, including the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, and the council's Local Enforcement Plan adopted in May 2018. It outlined the team's priorities, which include cases with immediate, substantial, or irreversible harm, such as unauthorised works to listed buildings and protected trees. The report also described the team's structure, caseloads, and performance data, including the types of cases received, such as building works and changes of use. It further explained the process of investigations, the expediency of decision-making, and the range of formal enforcement actions available, including Enforcement Notices, Breach of Condition Notices, and Temporary Stop Notices.

Implications of Government's Proposed Planning Reforms

The committee was set to receive an update on the specifics of proposed changes to the planning system, their implementation timeline, and their implications for the borough. This included the consultation on the Draft National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), which aimed to introduce rules-based national decision-making policies that would supersede conflicting Local Plan policies. The report also covered new plan-making regulations, the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025, and a consultation on planning committee reform proposing a two-tier system for determining planning applications. Additionally, the report addressed the Building Safety Levy, a developer-funded charge on new residential developments, and consultations aimed at boosting housing delivery in London, including potential relief from the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) and changes to the Mayor of London's call-in powers for planning applications.

Local Plan Policies Review Working Group Final Report

This item was scheduled to present the final report and recommendations of the Local Plan Policies Review Working Group, which had been convened by the Select Committee. The working group had scrutinised specific policies within the Local Plan, including those related to the delivery and protection of homes (HO1), housing size and standards (HO4), roof alterations and additional storeys (CD12), business uses in employment zones (BC1), hotels and tourist accommodation (TC8), car parking (TR8), and contaminated land (GB18), as well as policies relevant to listed buildings. The report detailed the working group's findings and recommendations for each policy area, aiming to ensure the Local Plan remains robust and aligned with national policy and local needs.

Work Programme Report

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on its work programme for the municipal year 2025/2026. This report outlined the key areas of focus for the committee, including scrutiny of council services, departmental policy development, and resident engagement. The update was expected to cover progress on ongoing items, such as the Road Safety Annual Review and discussions with Transport for London (TfL), as well as the completion of the Local Plan Policies Review Working Group. The report also indicated that an update on the Net Zero 2030 initiative would be circulated separately.