The Planning and Infrastructure Bill has received Royal Assent and now aims to slash delays and costs to get homes and critical infrastructure built faster

Sweeping measures will accelerate reservoirs and prioritise electricity connections to drive growth, create high-paying jobs and bolster homegrown clean energy.

The new law is at the heart of government plans to build 1.5 million homes and meet a 150 decisions target on major infrastructure.

In addition, it will get dozens of new roads, railway lines, windfarms and key critical infrastructure built quicker.    

New powers in the act that come into force today, 18 December, will allow reservoirs to be built faster, enable a new scheme to slash energy bills for people living near pylons by up to £2,500 and support clean power projects being prioritised for grid connections to bolster Britain’s energy security.    

In the coming weeks and months, ministers will set out when the remaining reforms in the legislation will come into effect as the government steps up to the plate to go further and faster in getting Britain building.

Housing secretary, Steve Reed, said: “Britain’s growth has been held back by a sluggish planning system, slamming the brakes on building and standing in the way of fixing the housing crisis for good.      

“Today that changes. Our landmark Planning and Infrastructure Act will tear down barriers to growth, and this means getting spades in the ground faster, unshackling projects stuck in planning limbo and crucially unlocking a win-win for the environment and the economy.    

“We’re ushering in a new era to build 1.5 million homes that will give families a secure roof over their head, alongside key infrastructure to create high-paying jobs and power our homes and businesses. That’s exactly the Britain I want to see so it’s time to get on with the job and build baby build.”

With the landmark Planning and Infrastructure Act now set in stone, a wide range of measures will be brought forward at haste to speed up housebuilding and the delivery of critical infrastructure.

Key changes in the act include:     

• New Nature Restoration Fund will allow developers to get spades in the ground faster for multiple housing and infrastructure projects, with Natural England putting in place pro-nature measures at scale to restore natural habitats and wildlife.   
• Limiting the number of attempts at legal challenge against government decisions on major infrastructure projects, with only one attempt rather than three for cases deemed by the court as totally without merit.     
• Modernising planning committees to focus on the most significant developments rather than smaller projects, speeding up local decisions on new homes.     
• Extra powers for development corporations to speed up delivery of large-scale projects, including the next generation of new towns, with more affordable homes and public transport.       
• Simplifying the approval process for new EV chargers on public roads to save time and costs while supporting clean power.      
• Enabling electricity bill discounts of up to £2,500 over 10 years for communities hosting new pylons and transmission infrastructure.    
• Making it easier to acquire land for new homes, GP surgeries, and schools.      

Today, the government has also published an implementation plan setting out how the Nature Restoration Fund will work in practice and the timelines for the first Environmental Delivery Plans. The plan confirms the government will make cleaning up rivers by removing pollution at source a priority, along with streamlining processes for developers.    

Chief executive of National Highways, Nick Harris, said: “England’s motorways and major A roads are the backbone of the UK’s economy, keeping businesses, communities and supply chains connected. The act will help streamline delivery of the transport infrastructure needed to unlock housing, support economic development, and connect people to opportunities across the country.”

CEO of East West Railway Company, David Hughes, added:  “The Planning and Infrastructure Act is good news for East West Rail as it should enable us to deliver the project more quickly whilst providing an important opportunity to engage with communities earlier in a more bespoke and tailored way as the railway moves towards its final design.

“By working closely with Government, this more agile approach will support stronger decisions, foster confidence with stakeholders, and enable the benefits of East West Rail to be realised sooner and more effectively than under previous plans.”

Click here for an overview of the measures contained within the Planning and Infrastructure Act.