Communities will reap the benefits as Britain’s broken planning and development system is rewired to accelerate infrastructure delivery and homebuilding while safeguarding the environment under the Plan for Change.
Environmental planning reforms will be backed by £500 million, which includes funding for the government’s flagship Nature Restoration and Marine Recovery Fund schemes and funding to build capacity in the planning system.
This will help to process planning applications faster and help developers bring their projects to life, without compromising on environmental protections – ensuring we build 1.5 million homes and fast-track 150 planning decisions on major infrastructure projects by the end of this Parliament.
The Lower Thames Crossing – set to cut congestion for motorists and drive growth across the country – will become the first major UK infrastructure project to have one lead environmental body in charge. A clear, single point of contact will cut the time it takes to secure planning permissions and approvals for large-scale developments, boosting project certainty and minimising costs and delays.
Moreover, communities across Britain will benefit from new transport, energy and housing schemes sooner, thanks to a new dedicated body that will address planning issues early to keep critical projects on track.
The Defra Group Infrastructure Board will help accelerate the planning process for at least 50 major infrastructure projects, including Hinkley Point C, East West Rail and Heathrow expansion.
Early oversight will help to identify challenges such as those faced by HS2 in building the bat tunnel, meaning that for future similar situations alternative solutions to meet environmental obligations can be explored earlier in the process – ensuring proportionate decisions are made and reducing costs and delays.
Steve Reed, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, said: “People can’t find affordable homes to live in because Britain’s broken planning system has blocked building work, and that’s pushed up prices.
“These changes will get spades in the ground quicker so developers can build the homes families need.
“This is all part of the Government’s Plan for Change that will boost the economy and create jobs by building more homes and also provide new funding from developers to benefit nature.”
Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary Angela Rayner said: “We have been stuck with a status quo that has stopped us building the homes we need, and has done nothing for nature’s recovery.
“Communities deserve better, that’s why we’re pushing ahead with our pro-growth reforms to not only deliver vital homes and infrastructure, but drive real, lasting recovery for the environment.
“This is another step towards our 1.5 million homes Plan for Change target which will restore the dream of homeownership, end the housing crisis, and boost economic growth across the country.”
The measures announced build on a £500 million funding package announced as part of the government’s 10 Year Infrastructure Strategy. This funding will give the planning system a boost to help build the homes families need whilst supporting nature recovery on land and at sea at scale. As recommended by the Corry Review, it will increase the capacity of Natural England and the Environment Agency to process planning applications faster, through the use of spatial planning and digital technologies. This will not only help to improve our natural environment but also enable delivery of vital national infrastructure such as wind farms, railways, gigafactories and data centres.
The new Lead Environmental Regulator approach will end the merry-go-round of developers dealing with multiple, overlapping authorities. Instead, one environmental regulator will deliver a coordinated response on behalf of all regulators. Natural England will take on this role for the Lower Thames Crossing, working seamlessly with the Environment Agency and Marine Management Organisation to provide joined-up advice.
By facilitating greater collaboration and stronger oversight within Defra and its arm’s-length bodies, the new Infrastructure Board will overcome bureaucratic barriers and keep projects moving at pace. It will closely monitor an evolving list of significant infrastructure projects, including renewable energy projects critical to meeting the 2030 clean power mission. These could include offshore wind and solar farms, electricity transmission lines, and other nationally significant infrastructure projects.
