The Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 received Royal Assent on 18 December 2025. Secondary legislation and detailed guidance is expected to follow with implementation expected to be phased in during 2026.

The Government’s objectives are to accelerate housing delivery, streamline consenting for critical infrastructure - Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIP), and embed a new strategic approach to nature recovery (including an Environmental Delivery Plan and Nature Restoration Fund model), alongside modernising plan‑making and decision‑making.

Key planning reforms

The following changes are intended to shake up the planning process and system.

Modernisation of the planning system

• Local planning fees – the Act grants local planning authorities the power to set fees locally (within certain parameters), provided revenue is reinvested in planning services.
• Mandatory training - all planning committee members must complete certified training before participating in decision-making. This is aimed at improving consistency of decision making.
• Delegation framework - a national scheme will be introduced to set out which applications are determined by planning officers rather than committees, reducing bottlenecks for routine applications.
• Committee sizes – measures will be introduced to limit the size and scope of planning committees.

Nationally significant infrastructure projects

• Five-yearly National Policy Statements (NPS) – NPS will be reviewed every five years to ensure alignment with evolving infrastructure and environmental priorities.
• Pre-application consultations - Statutory pre-application consultation requirements will be removed, and timelines for examination and decision-making will be shortened with guidance from the Secretary of State guiding proportionate engagement.
• Judicial Review Reform - The paper permission stage will be abolished, and cases deemed “totally without merit” by the High Court will be blocked from appeal.
• Wind and solar threshold – A draft Order through parliament introducing onshore wind and raising the NSIP threshold for solar developments to 100MW.
• The Act will introduce onshore wind into the NSIP regime and raise the threshold for solar projects of NSIPs to 100MW in England.

Strategic spatial planning

• Spatial Development Strategies (SDS) – The Government will establish strategic planning boards to prepare SDSs of areas covering multiple authorities

Other notable provisions

• Water projects / reservoirs – The House of Lords’ amendments introduced a new clause relating to water project to enable non-water companies to promote larger reservoirs as NSIPs.
• Ministerial Powers - New powers will allow ministers to prevent councils from refusing applications during a government “call-in,” reducing political risk for strategic projects.
• Housing Scheme Protection - Planning permissions for major housing schemes will not lapse during judicial review proceedings, safeguarding investment.

With the Act's phased implementation to follow, stakeholders should prepare for a changing system aiming to deliver faster housing development, whilst balancing efficiency with sustainability and embedding environmental priorities into decision-making. It is thought the new powers and protections will support strategic projects and long-term growth.