Streamlining Infrastructure Planning

A series of working papers and new guidance from the Government indicates efforts to streamline infrastructure planning.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has published a working paper inviting views on how the Government could reform the process for consenting Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIP)s.

This paper forms part of a series of working papers on different aspects of planning reform, designed to inform further policy development in collaboration with the wider sector.

A number of measures are proposed that could be taken to streamline the consenting process for national infrastructure and to enable faster decision making, whilst ensuring the process is fair and certain.

Find more information on the Government website.

Further planning reform working papers can be found for:

• Development and Nature Recovery
• Planning Committees
• Brownfield Passport

The Government has also published guidance on product marking, including the continued recognition of certain EU requirements, such as CE marking, for specific product sectors.

Finally, the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) has launched a consultation on its vision for land use in England and how to deliver it. This consultation will inform the development of a Land Use Framework. The consultation will close on 25th April 2025. Find more information on Defra’s website.