Government Planning Reforms to Drive the Biggest Building Boom in a Generation
The UK government has launched a major overhaul of the planning system, promising the biggest building boom in a generation to accelerate housebuilding and key infrastructure projects.
The newly introduced Planning & Infrastructure Bill aims to streamline planning processes, eliminate red tape, and fast-track development, supporting the government’s ambitious goal of delivering 1.5 million new homes.
Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Housing Angela Rayner described the Bill as a “seismic” shift designed to “get Britain building again” by cutting through bureaucratic delays that have stalled development for years.
Key Planning & Development Reforms
The Bill introduces a new national planning policy framework, setting out a more structured and efficient approach to approving housing and infrastructure projects.
Key Measures Include:
- Planning Committee Overhaul – New guidelines will clarify which applications can be approved by local officers and which require committee approval. Councils will also be able to set their own planning fees, and mandatory training will be introduced for planning committee members.
- Nature Restoration Fund – Developers will be required to offset any environmental damage by contributing to a fund that supports nature restoration projects elsewhere.
- Compulsory Purchase Reform – Landowners will no longer be compensated for ‘hope value’ (the assumed future value of land with planning permission) when their land is acquired for development.
- New Towns & Development Corporations – Specially created development corporations will be given enhanced powers to drive new town creation.
- Strategic Planning Framework – A spatial development strategy will allow regional mayors and local councils to coordinate large-scale housing and infrastructure projects to ensure sustainable growth.
Faster Approvals for Infrastructure & Energy Projects
The Bill is also set to fast-track major infrastructure projects in key sectors such as transport and renewable energy, removing legal barriers and simplifying approval processes.
Key Reforms Include:
- Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) – Streamlined approvals will cut bureaucracy, with legal challenges limited to one appeal in cases deemed ‘meritless’.
- Transport Planning Reform – Amendments to planning laws will remove barriers to road and rail expansion, speeding up much-needed projects.
- Faster Renewable Energy Connections – A new “first ready, first connected” system will replace the current lengthy grid connection process, reducing waiting times of up to 10 years for wind and solar farms.
£250 Annual Energy Bill Discounts for Homes Near New Pylons
To help ease local opposition to new power transmission infrastructure, the government will introduce annual £250 energy bill discounts for households living within 500 metres of new pylons. These payments will last for a decade.
Developers will also be required to invest in local communities, funding projects such as sports facilities, education programmes, and leisure centres. One example—the SSEN Transmission power line between Tealing and Aberdeenshire—could see local communities receive £23 million in funding.
Angela Rayner: “We Are Backing the Builders”
Unveiling the reforms, Deputy PM Angela Rayner stated:
“We’re delivering the biggest building boom in a generation and getting Britain building again. These reforms will cut through bureaucracy, back the builders, take on the blockers, and deliver the homes and infrastructure this country so desperately needs.”
She emphasised that the changes would help tackle the housing crisis, making it easier for aspiring homeowners and families stuck in temporary accommodation to secure permanent homes.
The Bill will now go through Parliament, where it will be closely scrutinised by both industry leaders and opposition figures.
Industry Reaction
Clive Dickin, CEO of the NASC, welcomed the reforms but warned that workforce shortages could still hold back economic growth:
“Reforming the planning system is a step in the right direction. However, the construction industry faces a major skills shortage—including a critical lack of scaffolders. Without tackling these workforce challenges, many of the government’s ambitious projects may struggle to get off the ground.”
With the UK pushing forward with mass-scale development, the success of these reforms will depend on ensuring the industry has the skilled workforce needed to deliver on these ambitious promises. This construction boom is going to require scaffolders. Book your place on a scaffold training course at Safety & Access and prepare your career for the future.
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