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
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
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
Reducing the embodied carbon in the built environment has an important role in mitigating the effects of climate change. However, there is no national planning policy that incorporates such considerations in the planning...more
Changes to the DCO consenting process to be introduced this spring have the potential to help applicants navigate this system with more certainty and confidence. They introduce more flexibility into the process allowing the...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
Following compliance with the parliamentary requirements, the National Policy Statement (NPS) for water resource infrastructure was finally designated by the Environment Secretary on 18 September 2023, bringing it immediately...more
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
Significant revisions to the draft energy NPS published for consultation align with other strands of government energy policy and legislative amendments being introduced via the Energy Bill. They strengthen the need case for...more
4/26/2023
/ Aviation Industry ,
Consultation ,
Defense Sector ,
Electricity ,
Energy Policy ,
Energy Projects ,
Energy Sector ,
Infrastructure ,
Net Zero ,
Offshore Wind ,
Policy Drafting ,
Proposed Amendments ,
Renewable Energy
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
This year’s Queen’s Speech takes forward the Government’s planning reform agenda. In this BCLP Insight we take a look at which new Bills have implications for planning and what this means for those in the planning and...more
Planning legislation has been framed over many years to grapple with climate change and there is no doubt that there is real impetus at all levels of development to ensure that climate targets are met. In this blog we discuss...more
12/16/2021
/ Carbon Emissions ,
Climate Change ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
Green Buildings ,
Infrastructure ,
National Environmental Policies ,
Net Zero ,
Real Estate Development ,
Sustainability ,
UK ,
Urban Planning & Development
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) launched a consultation into revisions to the Energy NPSs earlier this month (which closes on 29 November) in line with the Planning Act 2008 which requires...more
MHCLG published some of its proposals for planning reform in its ‘Planning for the Future’ statement on 12 March 2020, which largely builds on the Conservative Manifesto 2019 promises. However, more measures for reform are on...more
The Whitehall and Industry Group conference on infrastructure, entitled a ‘cross sector perspective’ was held on 13th March and brought together Government, the National Infrastructure Commission (NIC), and public and private...more