The UK government has unveiled a package of planning reforms to accelerate onshore wind development and other major infrastructure projects as part of its Planning and Infrastructure Bill.
The changes are designed to remove barriers that have slowed renewable energy projects, with measures allowing ministers to step in when councils block applications and speeding up environmental approvals.
Housing secretary Steve Reed said: “Britain’s potential has been shackled by governments unwilling to overhaul the stubborn planning system that has erected barriers to building at every turn. It is simply not true that nature has to lose for economic growth to succeed.”
He added: “Sluggish planning has real world consequences. Every new house blocked deprives a family of a home. Every infrastructure project that gets delayed blocks someone from a much-needed job. This will now end.”
The proposed reforms would unlock around 3GW of new onshore wind capacity and £2bn in additional investment, while streamlining Natural England’s role to focus on higher-impact projects and introducing the Nature Restoration Fund to improve environmental outcomes.
Chancellor of the exchequer Rachel Reeves said: “The outdated planning system has been gummed up by burdensome bureaucracy and held to ransom by blockers for too long. Our pro-growth planning bill shows we are serious about cutting red tape to get Britain building again, backing the builders not the blockers to speed up projects and show investors that we are a country that gets spades in the ground and our economy growing.”
Industry welcomed the new approach. RenewableUK’s director of policy and engagement Ana Musat said: “Onshore wind is one of the quickest and cheapest technologies to build and we welcome these proposals to ensure we can fully capitalise on this through a more efficient planning process, potentially enabling up to 3GW of capacity and £2bn in additional investment for local businesses.”
She added: “The measures outlined today represent a vital step towards realising our clean power mission while protecting our environment and enabling local businesses and billpayers to directly feel the benefits.”
John Foster, CBI chief policy and campaigns officer, said the amendments were “an important signal that the government wants to go further and faster in reforming our inefficient planning system,” adding that simplifying environmental approvals is “critical to getting projects moving faster and unlocking the economic growth the country needs.”
Vicky Evans, UKIMEA cities, planning and design leader at Arup, said: “Investing in critical infrastructure, such as housing, clean energy, and water security, is crucial to unlocking economic growth and building a sustainable, low-carbon future. The amendments put down by the government today are an important step forward in streamlining the planning system which will help significantly to speed up the delivery of water and energy infrastructure, and new homes.”
Gowling WLG partner and global energy sector co-leader Will Glover said: “The government’s move to empower the Secretary of State with greater call-in powers and fast-track the planning process for clean energy projects is a significant step toward unlocking critical gigawatts of clean energy potential and delivering on the ambitious Clean Power 2030 targets – but only if carefully implemented.
“While restoring large projects to the national fast-track system and lowering the planning barriers are certainly welcome developments, developers must remain vigilant – meaningful local engagement, environmental compliance, and legal due diligence will still be critical to avoid costly setbacks – with clear and binding policy from government essential to giving the developers and investors the legal and regulatory certainty needed to proceed with these projects.”
The government said the reforms are central to its Plan for Change, aimed at delivering 1.5 million new homes, achieving clean power by 2030, and raising living standards across the UK.