Planning and Infrastructure Bill becomes law

The Planning and Infrastructure Bill has become law today (December 18), with the government also publishing a plan of how the Nature Restoration Fund will work in practice.

The Planning and Infrastructure Act underpins the government’s goal to build 1.5 million new homes and meet its 150 decisions target on major infrastructure projects.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) said that a wide range of measures would now be “brought forward at haste to speed up housebuilding and the delivery of critical infrastructure”.

These include the new Nature Restoration Fund, allowing developers to bring forward development stalled by environmental challenges, including nutrient neutrality. MHCLG said Natural England would introduce “pro-nature measures at scale to restore natural habitats and wildlife”.

The government’s implementation plan for the Nature Restoration Fund sets out the timelines for the first Environmental Delivery Plans. It also confirms a priority to remove pollution from rivers at source alongside streamlining processes for developers.

“This marks a move away from the broken status quo that has blocked homes and infrastructure whilst doing nothing for nature’s recovery,” MHCLG said.

Key elements of the Planning and Infrastructure Act also include modernising planning committees to …