Between 2015-2025 the National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) carried out an important function in assessing the UK’s long-term infrastructure needs, setting the infrastructure agenda and providing independent advice to the...more
The infrastructure measures in the Planning and Infrastructure Bill introduce amendments, principally to the Planning Act 2008, that aim to make the NSIP regime faster and more flexible to support the Government’s major...more
3/27/2025
/ Appeals ,
Consultation ,
Critical Infrastructure Sectors ,
Government Agencies ,
Infrastructure ,
New Legislation ,
Permits ,
Proposed Amendments ,
Real Estate Development ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Reporting Requirements ,
UK ,
Urban Planning & Development ,
Zoning Laws
The much trailed Planning and Infrastructure Bill introduced to Parliament on 11 March covers wide ranging changes to the conventional planning process, CPO, development corporations and infrastructure planning....more
3/17/2025
/ Affordable Housing ,
Environmental Policies ,
Housing Developers ,
Infrastructure ,
New Legislation ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Real Estate Development ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Strategic Planning ,
Sustainability ,
UK ,
Urban Planning & Development
The Government has confirmed it will introduce legislation to reduce the number of attempts claimants have to secure permission to legally challenge a DCO....more
Two significant consultations opened at the end of last year, the first by the Government and the second by the Law Commission, seeking views on proposed changes to CPO law and process. In the first of this two part series,...more
1/22/2025
/ Affordable Housing ,
Community Development ,
Consultation ,
Eminent Domain ,
Land Owners ,
Property Owners ,
Real Estate Development ,
Regulatory Reform ,
State and Local Government ,
UK ,
Urban Planning & Development ,
Zoning Laws
2024 has been a year with a continued focus on the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Planning (‘NSIP’) planning regime by both the predecessor and current government. Reforms to make the regime faster and more effective...more
12/19/2024
/ Administrative Procedure ,
Commercial Property Owners ,
Commercial Real Estate Market ,
Consultation ,
Energy Sector ,
Environmental Assessments ,
Guidance Update ,
Infrastructure ,
Judicial Review ,
Real Estate Development ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Strategic Planning ,
UK ,
Urban Planning & Development ,
Utilities Sector
On 12 December 2024, the updated NPPF consulted on over the summer, came into immediate effect. The pro-development changes aim to increase housing delivery, support development generally and in particular key growth sectors...more
Hot on the heels of the NPPF consultation MHCLG has published a working paper on the introduction of ‘brownfield passports’ to encourage development of brownfield urban land in a way that goes beyond the policy support in the...more
The ‘fundamental aim’ of the Green Belt as stated in the NPPF is urban containment. The NPPF contains strong protections by imposing strict tests to be met before Green Belt land can be released for development....more
Labour’s landslide victory marks the end of 14 years of Conservative rule and heralds a new era. But once the champagne corks have stopped popping at Labour HQ, the new Government needs to roll up its sleeves fast and steer a...more
This Insight summarises the Planning aspirations of the Conservative, Labour and the Liberal Democrat manifestos for the UK’s 2024 election. Their shared focus is on housing, energy infrastructure and battling climate change....more
The Supreme Court’s judgment in R(Finch) v Surrey County Council [2024] UKSC 20 has potentially significant implications on how environmental impacts of major projects are assessed. The question at the heart of the case was...more
Details of how the recently confirmed operational reforms to improve the NSIP planning process will work in practice are beginning to emerge.
We have previously reported on which of the proposed operational reforms are...more
Some significant planning changes are proposed in a government consultation on ‘An Accelerated Planning System’ launched on 6 March 2024 alongside the Spring Budget (which closes on 1 May). These proposed changes cover new...more
The Government’s energy infrastructure reform programme continues to gather pace following publication of multiple important documents this autumn. In this Insight we discuss the recent progress and new announcements setting...more
12/7/2023
/ Autumn Statement ,
Climate Change ,
Consultation ,
Energy Policy ,
Energy Projects ,
Energy Sector ,
Infrastructure ,
Power Infrastructure ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Renewable Energy ,
Transmission Grid ,
UK
Publication of the National Infrastructure Commission’s (NIC) second National Infrastructure Assessment (‘NIA2’) in October 2023, in line with its 5-year requirement, is an important step and a document that will be used to...more
The Government is currently consulting on operational changes to the NSIP consenting process that have the potential to make significant improvements to parts of the DCO process. In this Insight we outline the changes...more
The refusal of M&S's plans to demolish and rebuild their flagship store on Oxford Street by the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (Michael Gove) has attracted much attention because of the wider...more
8/10/2023
/ Construction Industry ,
Construction Project ,
Demolition ,
Green Buildings ,
Historical Landmarks ,
Mixed-Use Zoning ,
Real Estate Development ,
Seismic Retrofitting ,
Sustainable Projects ,
UK ,
Urban Planning & Development
The process of securing development consent (a DCO) for a major scheme can take many years. The decision of the Government on whether to grant the DCO is made at the end of that process and is subject to ‘judicial review’ by...more
We have been closely following the emerging details of the new biodiversity net gain (BNG) regime and the emerging market for off-site BNG which is expected to come into force for most planning applications in November 2023...more
6/15/2023
/ Biodiversity ,
Brownfield Properties ,
Consultation ,
Critical Habitat ,
Environmental Policies ,
Habitat Conservation Plan ,
New Guidance ,
Property Owners ,
Real Estate Development ,
UK ,
Urban Planning & Development
Publication of the Water Resources Infrastructure NPS marks a milestone for water infrastructure projects as it is the first NPS for water resources pursuant to the 2008 Act, coming 15 years after the regime’s creation. First...more
The government’s consultation on the proposed new system of Environmental Outcome Reports to replace the existing environmental assessment regime, provides a clearer idea of how it is likely to work in practice. In this...more
The Government’s Action Plan on how it proposes to improve the NSIP planning process has some good ideas, most of which amount to fine-tuning rather than a fundamental change. Whilst some of the changes may increase the cost...more
3/14/2023
/ Electricity ,
Energy Projects ,
Energy Sector ,
Expedited Actions Process ,
Expedited Approval Process ,
Infrastructure ,
National Action Plan ,
Permits ,
Public Projects ,
Real Estate Development ,
UK
The chancellor’s 'mini-budget' on 23 September introduced some significant planning reforms. In a separate blog we discussed the new Investment Zones announced that will benefit from tax reliefs and liberalised planning laws....more
The Chancellor’s radical tax cutting 'mini-budget' on 23 September introduced the new government’s central agenda for growth. Whilst it was the fiscal announcements that have since dominated the headlines and market reaction,...more