The UK government has introduced a package of planning reforms designed to speed up onshore wind development and other major infrastructure projects, as part of its Planning and Infrastructure Bill.
The proposed changes would allow ministers to intervene when local councils delay or block applications and aim to fast-track environmental approvals. Officials say the reforms are intended to remove long-standing obstacles that have slowed renewable energy growth and housing development.
“Britain’s potential has been shackled by governments unwilling to overhaul the stubborn planning system that has erected barriers to building at every turn,” said Housing Secretary Steve Reed. “It is simply not true that nature has to lose for economic growth to succeed.”
Reed added, “Sluggish planning has real world consequences. Every new house blocked deprives a family of a home. Every infrastructure project that gets delayed blocks someone from a much-needed job. This will now end.”
The reforms are expected to unlock around 3 gigawatts (GW) of new onshore wind capacity and attract £2 billion in additional investment. They also include streamlining the role of Natural England to focus on higher-impact projects and introducing a Nature Restoration Fund aimed at improving environmental outcomes.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves said, “The outdated planning system has been gummed up by burdensome bureaucracy and held to ransom by blockers for too long. Our pro-growth planning bill shows we are serious about cutting red tape to get Britain building again, backing the builders not the blockers to speed up projects and show investors that we are a country that gets spades in the ground and our economy growing.”
The proposals received support from industry groups. RenewableUK’s director of policy and engagement, Ana Musat, said: “Onshore wind is one of the quickest and cheapest technologies to build and we welcome these proposals to ensure we can fully capitalise on this through a more efficient planning process, potentially enabling up to 3GW of capacity and £2 billion in additional investment for local businesses.”
Musat added, “The measures outlined today represent a vital step towards realising our clean power mission while protecting our environment and enabling local businesses and billpayers to directly feel the benefits.”
John Foster, chief policy and campaigns officer at the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), described the reforms as “an important signal that the government wants to go further and faster in reforming our inefficient planning system.” He said simplifying environmental approvals is “critical to getting projects moving faster and unlocking the economic growth the country needs.”
Vicky Evans, UKIMEA cities, planning and design leader at consultancy Arup, said the reforms are “an important step forward in streamlining the planning system which will help significantly to speed up the delivery of water and energy infrastructure, and new homes.”
Legal expert Will Glover, partner at Gowling WLG, cautioned that “while restoring large projects to the national fast-track system and lowering the planning barriers are certainly welcome developments, developers must remain vigilant.” He emphasized the importance of “meaningful local engagement, environmental compliance, and legal due diligence” and called for “clear and binding policy from government” to provide certainty for investors and developers.
The government said the reforms are part of its wider Plan for Change, which aims to deliver 1.5 million new homes, achieve clean power by 2030, and raise living standards across the UK.
