Govt announces changes to Planning and Infrastructure Bill

The government has made amendments to the Planning and Infrastructure Bill to “get Britain building faster”, including proposing new ministerial powers to prevent local authorities from rejecting planning applications.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has today (October 14) announced a “pro-growth” package to support the “full potential” of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, which will reach Report stage at the House of Lords next Monday (October 20).

If these amendments are accepted, ministers will gain the power to bar local councils from refusing planning permissions while considering using their“call-in” powers.

Currently, these holds can only be issued if a local authority is about to approve an application. “This will ensure ministers can properly use their call-in powers where necessary to boost growth and build more homes,” MHCLG said.

The government has also proposed a mechanism to stop planning permissions from being “timed out” for approved major housing schemes that face lengthy judicial reviews.

MHCLG said this would build on existing measures to reduce “meritless legal challenges” for major infrastructure projects from three to one, cutting the statutory pre-consultation period by a year.

If voted through, Natural England’s role will also be streamlined to …