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
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
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
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
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
One of the final amendments to the new Levelling up and Regeneration Act (“LURA”) before it gained royal assent on 26 October 2023, was to require the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to consider...more
Included in the wide range of provisions in the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023 are some important changes to the process and procedures for Development Consent Orders and Compulsory Purchase Orders. In this Insight we...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 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
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
The planning regime has been adapted over time to accommodate the commercial realities of development, with statutory mechanisms introduced to enable the approval of amendments to existing planning permissions to various...more
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
In the third and final Insight in our series on the planning changes in the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill (the first was on the proposed changes to local plans and the second on the new Infrastructure Levy), we examine...more
In the second Insight in our series on the planning changes in the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill (the first was on the proposed changes to local plans), we examine the proposed new Infrastructure Levy that will...more
The Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill introduces some fundamental changes to the English planning system particularly for local plans. In the first of three Insights on the planning changes in this Bill, we examine the...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
The DEFRA consultation published this month on the scope of the biodiversity net gain regulations to be introduced under powers in the Environment Act 2021, provides developers and landowners with a much clearer indication of...more
1/21/2022
/ Biodiversity ,
Brownfield Properties ,
Consultation ,
Critical Habitat ,
Environmental Policies ,
Exemptions ,
Habitat Conservation Plan ,
Property Owners ,
Real Estate Development ,
UK ,
Urban Planning & Development