Planning reform has been a key pledge of the Labour administration, and they have recently set out what changes they propose to make in order to get Britain building.
Introduced to Parliament in March 2025, ministers have promised that The Planning and Infrastructure Bill will deliver the ‘biggest building boom in a generation’. But what are the key points that you need to know?
Speeding up decision making
A key part of the legislation is focussed on removing the delays, blockers and red tape, so that projects can get shovels in the ground quicker.
Some commentators have described this as ‘war on NIMBYs’ but on a more practical level, it will help smooth out the process for developers and oil the wheels of the planning system. It will also look to eradicate erroneous and irrational objections and judicial reviews.
Recognising the importance of infrastructure
Infrastructure projects can be subject to lengthy delays, which run the risk of inhibiting growth and other Government priorities, such as decarbonisation.
Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) will be given greater freedoms and the consultation requirements will be streamlined, to remove unnecessary burden. The right of appeal will also be looked at closely, with government figures showing that three out of five decisions on major infrastructure were subsequently taken to court.
Transport infrastructure is another area that is being looked at closely, with Government throwing its weight behind airport and rail projects to help get the country moving in order to kickstart the economy.
The introduction of a new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF)
Revisions to planning policy will seek to clarify grey areas and open up suitable sites for development.
This is seen as a key to meeting the Government’s ambition of creating 1.5m new homes over the course of this Parliament.
One barrier to fulfilling this target, however, is local authority’s ability to deal with planning applications in a timely manner. Many planning departments are severely understaffed, which is a direct impact of the financial stress many councils find themselves under. This has resulted an estimated 80% of authorities operating below full staffing capacity.
A focus on strategic planning
More focus will be directed towards ‘the big picture’ with councils and other elected bodies encouraged to work together on a region-wide basis.
The role of mayors and combined authorities will become more important, acting as a gelling agent between districts and able to take decisions for the greater good.
The hope is that projects can be looked at alongside one another and that their constraining factors - such as amenities and infrastructure - can be taken into account in a more holistic way.
How have the announcements on planning reform been received?
Overall, big businesses have responded warmly to the proposals, with major infrastructure firms and house builders championing the Government’s words.
Some notes of caution have been sounded though. Several commentators feel that it is missing key elements of detail, and others feel that caution is being thrown to the wind at the expense of the environment. Time will tell.
Further reading
Aligned to planning reform, we recently set out in The Business Desk how AI can play a more important role in public engagement. Read the article here.