The Planning & Infrastructure Bill is a new law introduced by the government to make the planning system simpler, speed up housebuilding, and remove legal hurdles that have slowed down housing projects.
The bill, which has been described by Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner as enabling the "biggest building boom in a generation", plans to help the government deliver on their promise of building 1.5 million homes.
But what exactly does each part of the bill include and how will these affect homeowners and housebuilders? We explore the government's key planning reforms.
1) Faster planning decisions
The bill aims to reduce red tape and speed up planning decisions, which could mean that new housing developments in your area get approved more quickly.
One of its main features is a national scheme of delegation, which means clear rules will decide whether a planning application is handled by council staff or elected officials. This should help avoid unnecessary delays.
Councils will also be able to set their own planning fees, allowing them to raise money to improve local planning services. While this might lead to higher costs for developers, it could also mean better-resourced planning departments and, ultimately, faster decisions on planning applications.
2) Reforms to compulsory purchase rules
The bill proposes reforming compulsory purchase orders (CPOs), which are government powers used to buy land for public projects. If a developer or the government needs land for a housing project or new infrastructure, they can use these powers to buy it.
Currently, landowners can charge a ‘hope value’, an extra cost based on the idea that their land might be worth more in the future if planning permission is granted.
The bill aims to remove this, making it cheaper for local authorities and developers to buy land and build homes or infrastructure more affordably.
3) New development corporations and strategic planning
To encourage large-scale housing projects, the bill allows the government to create new development corporations, which are organisations that oversee the planning and building of entirely new towns.
It also introduces spatial development strategies, meaning that multiple councils in a region can work together to decide the best locations for new homes, roads and services.
This approach aims to ensure better planning across wider areas rather than individual councils working in isolation.
4) Changes to National Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIP)
Large infrastructure projects like new roads, railways, and power stations often face years of legal challenges, delaying their completion.
The bill streamlines the development consent order process, which means there will be fewer opportunities for objections and legal appeals.
It also removes the right to appeal decisions that are considered 'meritless' (having no real legal basis), ensuring that unnecessary legal battles don’t slow down vital projects.
5) Energy and environmental incentives
To encourage local communities to accept new electricity infrastructure, households living within 500 metres of new pylons will get up to £250 per year off their energy bills for ten years.
Additionally, the bill creates a Nature Restoration Fund, where developers can contribute to large-scale conservation projects instead of doing small, scattered environmental improvements.
This is meant to provide more effective environmental protection while making it easier for developers to meet their environmental obligations.
The Planning & Infrastructure Bill covers a wide range of changes aimed at accelerating homebuilding and infrastructure development, but there are still other factors to consider.
For example, its impact on local communities, the potential for legal challenges, and how it interacts with existing planning laws will all play a role in shaping its success.
For homeowners and developers, staying informed about planning policies, environmental considerations, and housing market trends will be key to making the most of these reforms.
