Today, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government introduced its Planning and Infrastructure Bill to Parliament. Bev Cornaby, CLG UK Director, provided comments on this announcement.
The new Planning and Infrastructure Bill introduces major reforms to speed up clean energy connections, streamline housing and infrastructure projects, and support local communities.
Bev Cornaby, Director of the UK Corporate Leaders Group, said:
"The Planning and Infrastructure Bill is a vital step toward unlocking investment in clean energy, strengthening the UK’s energy security, and driving long-term, sustainable growth. A modernised planning system will help deliver the critical infrastructure urgently required. However, we need to ensure that nature restoration and community engagement remain central to development, and that our targets remain in sharp focus.
Business welcomes reforms that remove barriers to progress, but success depends on long-term policy certainty, strategic land-use planning, and a planning system that balances speed with meaningful local participation."
The Bill replaces the grid’s “first come, first served” system with “first ready, first connected” to prioritise prepared projects. Households near new pylons will receive compensation through energy bill discounts. The Bill also simplifies planning for EV charging, boosts development corporations, establishes a Nature Restoration Fund, and mandates community contributions from developers. It aims to accelerate housing approvals and national infrastructure projects while revising statutory consultees.
The Bill is key to the UK government's Plan for Change to build 1.5 million homes, make Britain a clean energy superpower, and drive up living standards.