Input queueing ATM switches requiring fast contentionl resolution control have been negatively affected by long turn-around time (TAT) due to the distance between an input port controller and a centralised contention controller. A parallel contention resolution control for input queueing switches is presented. The proposed control allows a TAT of more than one cell slot, resulting in the potential development of a centralised contention controller an ATM switch with an aggregate capacity of 1 Tbit/s.