Sweeping planning reforms aimed at accelerating housebuilding and infrastructure projects across the country were introduced to Parliament yesterday with The Planning and Infrastructure Bill designed to remove barriers to development and speed up decisions.
The government claims the reforms will help deliver 1.5 million homes and 150 major projects, including roads, railway lines and wind farms.
Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary Angela Rayner said the legislation would “get Britain building again” by tackling bureaucracy and enabling developers to begin construction more quickly.
The Bill forms part of the government’s broader Plan for Change, which aims to boost economic growth, strengthen transport links, and support the transition to clean energy. Ministers argue the reforms will create thousands of jobs and attract investment by making Britain a more appealing place for development.
CHEAPER BILLS
Residents living near new electricity transmission infrastructure could receive up to £2,500 over ten years off their energy bills, a measure intended to secure local support for projects seen as vital to national energy security.
While the government has framed the bill as a response to the housing crisis, critics may question whether the proposed reforms adequately balance the need for development with environmental protections and local community interests.
BUREAUCRATIC BURDEN
Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Housing, Angela Rayner, says: We’re creating the biggest building boom in a generation – as a major step forward in getting Britain building again and unleashing economic growth in every corner of the country, by lifting the bureaucratic burden which has been holding back developments for too long.
“The Planning and Infrastructure Bill will unleash seismic reforms to help builders get shovels in the ground quicker to build more homes, and the vital infrastructure we need to improve transport links and make Britain a clean energy superpower to protect billpayers.”
HOUSING CRISIS
And she adds: “It will help us to deliver the 1.5 million homes we have committed to so we can tackle the housing crisis we have inherited head on – not only for people desperate to buy a home, but for the families and young children stuck in temporary accommodation and in need of a safe, secure roof over their heads.
“These reforms are at the heart of our Plan for Change, ensuring we are backing the builders, taking on the blockers, and delivering the homes and infrastructure this country so badly needs.”
AMBITIOUS TARGET
Colin Brown, Head of Planning & Development, Carter Jonas, says: “The government has set itself an ambitious target of delivering 1.5 million homes this Parliament and the size and scope of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill demonstrates how determined ministers are to try and meet that target.
“The Bill draws on some arguably successful measures from the days since the planning system as we know it first emerged in the late 1940s: we had the development corporations which shaped the new towns programme of the 1950s and ‘60s and the regional spatial development strategies last seen in the early 2000s.
“But the new Bill is more than a rehash of previous Government policy: it introduces new initiatives such as a national scheme of delegation and a national nature restoration fund, both of which are very welcome.”
AMBITIOUS AGENDA
And Lawrence Turner, director of Boyer (part of Leaders Romans Group), adds: “The Planning and Infrastructure Bill includes many measures announced during the King’s Speech and recent Government consultations that start to address the housing crisis.
“The Bill builds upon the ambitious agenda set by the Government’s planning reforms and is crucial for meeting the Government’s target of 1.5 million new homes before the end of the Parliament.
“Two significant challenges remain: ensuring the development industry has the capacity to construct these 1.5 million homes, including sufficient supplies of bricks, materials, and labour; and effectively communicating the need for more homes to local communities, particularly in smaller towns and rural areas. Engaging these communities in the narrative is essential to securing genuine support from all our local planning authorities.”
The bill will now progress through Parliament, with further debate expected in the coming weeks.
