Major infrastructure projects that deliver tangible benefits to communities, including off-shore wind farms, transport links, waste facilities and nuclear power stations, will be fast-tracked through the planning process, under plans announced by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities today.
The Government is proposing to slash the time it takes for projects to be green lit, streamlining the current system, and establishing a new fast-track route to planning approval for projects that provide community and environmental benefits.
These reforms will ensure vital infrastructure needed to grow the economy, create new jobs and promote new opportunities are not held back by slow and burdensome planning processes.
They will create a resilient, dynamic approvals system as the Government continues to rebuild the economy following the pandemic.
This follows the Housing Secretary’s speech yesterday which set out an ambitious plan to deliver new homes where it makes sense in our cities – such as Cambridge, inner London, and in Leeds – backed by nation-wide reforms to the planning system, including £24m for hundreds of new planners to tackle the planning backlog.
Measures in the consultation launched today will mean faster consenting, more effective consultation and more resources.
Alongside this we have announced additional support for councils to help them speed up the delivery of vital infrastructure through the second round of the Innovation and Capacity Fund.
Looking further ahead, the reforms will streamline and simplify processes for nationally significant infrastructure, ensuring that important projects do not get held up in the system.
Nationally significant infrastructure projects include large-scale developments that relate to energy, transport, water, or waste.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: “Strong communities need to be supported by vital infrastructure; the transport links, power plants and buildings that underpin our everyday lives.
“Significant infrastructure projects don’t just ensure that people can get to work easily, do their recycling, and power their homes. They also create jobs, grow our economy, and help us become fit for the future.
“It is right that we make it as easy as possible for these important projects to be approved and delivered across the country.”
Michael Gove, Housing Secretary, added: “It is vital we can deliver the major infrastructure we need to regenerate our communities and level up.
“But local authorities and planners face barriers and red tape which have resulted in delays impacting on homeowners and housebuilders alike.
“That’s why we are bringing forward changes to accelerate the infrastructure we need – this builds on the package of measures I announced yesterday to unblock the planning system and build a better Britain.”
Reaction:
Howard Bassford, partner at DLA Piper’s Real Estate practice:
“Promoters and challengers of projects will be very interested in these changes – objectors will claim that this is a charter for reducing public scrutiny.
“That allegation is the flip side to certainty for delivery that developers are seeking in delivering critical infrastructure.
“The proposals will increase the burden on promoters to get things right first time – they won’t want to misstep in any faster-paced system.
“Promoters will need greater professional input to take maximum advantage of the proposals at a time when costs mean that every month’s delay counts.
“The benefit of speed has to outweigh the cost of compliance.”
