The UK government intends to introduce its Planning and Infrastructure Bill in the spring to remove red tape slowing down approval of wind farms and other infrastructure.
The legislation will provide the powers to accelerate infrastructure and homes needed to deliver on the government’s ambitions – and fast track critical infrastructure, including wind farms.
The government is confirming for the first time that the bill will be introduced in spring and the government will work with Parliamentarians to “ensure a smooth and speedy delivery”.
Further detail on the bill is being published in a working paper on streamlining decisions on nationally significant infrastructure projects, including reducing the burden on developers by making consultation requirements more proportionate, strengthening statutory guidance to ensure they are clear over what is and is not required when submitting planning applications, and ensuring that National Policy Statements are updated at least every five years to give more certainty to developers, speeding up decisions.
Previous working papers have already set out reforms to the operation of planning committees, and an overhaul of the way developers can discharge their environmental obligations so that they can crack on with building.
The government has also declared a moratorium on any new statutory consultees and the Chancellor and the Deputy Prime Minister will review in the coming weeks the existing arrangements to make sure they meet this Government’s ambitions for growth.
This follows changes announced last week to the rules around challenging major infrastructure projects through the courts – stopping blockers getting in the way of the Government’s Plan for Change and getting nuclear plants, trainlines and wind farms built quicker.
Current excessive rules mean unarguable cases can be bought back to the courts three times. This will be overhauled, with just one attempt at legal challenge for hopeless cases that would previously have caused much more delay.
The government is also replacing environmental impact assessments with Environmental Outcome Reports which will be simpler and clearer, which will support growth by saving developers time and money, whilst still protecting the environment.
The government will publish a roadmap for the delivery of these new Environment Outcomes Reports in the coming months.
Developers will be able to pay into the Nature Restoration Fund which will allow them to discharge relevant environmental obligations for protected sites and species and focus on building, safe in the knowledge that appropriate action will be taken to support nature’s recovery.
A working paper is being published setting out the government’s plan for its 10 Year Infrastructure Strategy, which will be focussed on infrastructure’s role in enabling resilient growth, delivering clean energy by 2030 and net zero by 2050 while securing the growth benefits of the transition, and improving public services.
The working paper seeks industry views as part of the government’s continued consultation on the development of the strategy which will be published in late spring.