Planning and Infrastructure Bill
Planning shake-up: the Planning and Infrastructure Bill promises faster housing and infrastructure delivery, but what does it mean for landowners and developers?
The Government’s Planning and Infrastructure Bill will soon become law as it passes through the final parliamentary stages, with Royal Assent expected imminently. This landmark legislation represents the most significant planning reform in recent years, aiming to speed up housing delivery, critical infrastructure projects and clean, sustainable development.
On a national level, the key objectives are to deliver 1.5 million homes and fast-track 150 major infrastructure projects by the end of this Parliament. To achieve these aims, the Bill introduces reforms to planning and compulsory purchase processes, and environmental obligations.
Planning reforms will allow for Local Authorities to set their own planning application fees, and introduce a national scheme of delegation to determine which planning applications should be referred to Committee, with mandatory Member training.
The Bill will expand the use of compulsory powers to parish and town councils, as well as environmental bodies, while electronic notices and earlier possession will speed up and modernise the land assembly process.
The Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project process will be streamlined to reduce delays and uncertainty, with mandatory reviews and fewer opportunities for judicial reviews. The Bill also introduces spatial development strategies, to set out planning policies over a wider geographic area.
The approach to the environmental impact of development will be refocussed, away from the current project-by-project measures towards strategic, large-scale environmental recovery.
But what does this mean for Landowners?
The Bill brings both opportunities and risks. Whilst it should accelerate the delivery of major housing and infrastructure projects, understanding the interplay with planning policy and compensation rules will be critical to protecting value and identifying opportunities.
If you would like to understand more about how the Planning and Infrastructure Bill could affect your land, please contact your local Sworders office.
- Isla Ginbey