Planning and Infrastructure Bill clears House of Lords and moves to Royal Assent

The Government’s Planning and Infrastructure Bill has now completed its passage through the House of Lords and is expected to receive Royal Assent shortly. Once enacted, it will introduce some of the most far-reaching reforms to the English planning system in over a decade, with direct implications for developers, landowners and local authorities.

A more interventionist approach to housing delivery

A central aim of the Bill is to accelerate the delivery of new homes. It gives the Secretary of State greater powers to intervene where councils consistently underperform, delay decisions, or fail to maintain a deliverable supply of housing land. For major schemes, this could include removing local decision-making entirely and allowing applications to be determined nationally.

Faster decisions and streamlined processes

The Bill supports a more efficient system by enabling:

• Statutory timeframes for planning decisions

• Streamlined inquiries and appeals

• Performance monitoring and potential sanctions for poorly performing authorities

• Measures to reduce procedural delay in plan-making

This is intended to create a more predictable, timely pathway for development.

Grey Belt and Green Belt reforms

Alongside changes to national policy, the Bill reinforces the Government’s updated approach to Green Belt land. Lower-performing, weakly contributing areas — now widely described as Grey Belt — will be easier to release where they have limited strategic value.

Recent appeal decisions show Inspectors increasingly adopting this approach, examining Green Belt performance site-by-site rather than treating all designated land equally.

Stronger requirements for local plans

Local authorities will be required to follow new, stricter timetables for preparing and updating their Local Plans. Where a council fails to progress a plan, the Bill provides for direct Government intervention, including the ability to step in and prepare a plan on the authority’s behalf.

Implications for the development sector

The Bill signals a shift towards a more proactive, delivery-driven planning system. In practice, this is likely to mean:

• Greater opportunities for sustainable greenfield and Grey Belt sites

• A higher rate of successful appeals where councils lack a five-year supply

• Faster progression of strategic development proposals

• Increased certainty for land promoters and builders

• More scrutiny for authorities that delay or resist plan preparation

For developers, this represents a more favourable environment — particularly in areas with significant under-delivery.

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