The UK Government has just announced several late-stage amendments to its Planning and Infrastructure Bill – designed to stop unnecessary refusals, cut repeated legal challenges and get Britain building both housing and infrastructure faster.
The changes include new powers for ministers, protections for developments under judicial review and a streamlined role for Natural England. Find out what this could mean for the construction industry in our latest blog.
What’s changing
The new amendments, announced ahead of the Planning Bill’s return to the House of Lords on 20th October, mark a significant shift in how central government can intervene in the planning system and how quickly decisions can move from proposal to build.
Among the most notable changes are:
- New ministerial ‘holding directions’ – Ministers will now be able to temporarily prevent councils from refusing planning applications while they consider whether to ‘call in’ the decision. Until now, they could only intervene when a council was preparing to approve a scheme. This gives ministers new powers to stop refusals that could block major housing or infrastructure projects.
- Protection for approved schemes facing judicial review – Planning permissions for large housing developments will no longer automatically expire if a project becomes entangled in lengthy court proceedings. This change ensures approved developments aren’t lost simply due to legal delays outside developers’ control.
- Streamlined legal challenges – The number of times major infrastructure projects can be challenged in court will be reduced from three to one. The government says this will remove repetitive litigation and allow projects to proceed faster once approval is granted.
- Shorter consultation timelines – The statutory pre-consultation period will be cut by one year, a move expected to accelerate early-stage engagement and help schemes reach the planning application stage more swiftly.
- Simplified role for Natural England – To reduce duplication and speed up approvals, Natural England will focus its resources on applications that pose greater environmental risks or opportunities for nature recovery. Standard guidance will be issued to local authorities to manage more straightforward cases efficiently.
Together, these updates aim to remove procedural ‘blockers’ that have historically slowed down development – ensuring that approved, sustainable projects can move off paper and onto building sites.
Why these changes matter
Planning reform has been a long-running conversation in the UK, but these late additions signal a more assertive approach from ministers. The focus has shifted from consultation to delivery, tackling the final bottlenecks that stall progress on critical housing and infrastructure schemes.
For developers and local authorities, the new powers and streamlined oversight could mean faster decision-making and fewer missed opportunities. For communities, it may mean long-promised housing and regeneration projects finally breaking ground after years of delay.
What it means for construction
The construction and development sector has largely welcomed these late-stage planning reforms as a practical step toward restoring confidence and predictability in the system. By reducing the number of legal challenges and ensuring approved projects remain valid during judicial reviews, the government aims to create a more stable, investable environment for developers and contractors alike.
Fewer procedural delays should mean a clearer pipeline of work, faster project starts, and stronger incentives to invest in skills, innovation and sustainability. The simplification of environmental approvals and pre-consultation stages is also expected to help smaller firms and regional developers bring forward proposals without being held back by excessive bureaucracy.
However, the success of these measures will depend on how efficiently they are implemented – and whether the government can maintain the right balance between speed and scrutiny. If delivered effectively, the reforms could give one of the UK’s most vital industries the momentum it needs to build the homes and infrastructure Britain urgently requires.
What do you think?
Do you think these reforms will make a real difference to housing delivery? We’d love to hear your thoughts – join the conversation on our Facebook or LinkedIn pages.
14.10.2025
Feature image: Sheriff Construction
