16 Oct 2025
Photo by Steffen Coonan The UK government has unveiled a comprehensive package of planning reforms aimed at accelerating infrastructure development and housing construction across England. As reported by the Financial Times, the reforms are designed to streamline the planning system, reduce delays, and encourage investment in key sectors such as transport, energy, and housing. […]
05 Jun 2025
Image description: Woodland and bluebells. Image by Charles Miller / Pexels. Irreplaceable habitats threatened by Planning Bill Part Three of Labours’ Planning and Infrastructure Bill has been highly contentious since its introduction, with the UK’s leading nature organisations labelled it “a license to kill” and calling for it to be completely scrapped after the […]
15 May 2025
Image description: The River Itchen, a chalk stream that runs through Hampshire, bordered by grassy banks and lined with trees. Image by Philip Enticknap. The call for an amendment A cross-party attempt to give chalk streams, a globally rare ecosystem, the strongest protections as irreplaceable habitats failed after all the Labour MPs on the […]
29 Apr 2025
Image description: An aerial shot of a house-build in progress, with scaffolding around the property and two builders on the roof. Image by Steffen Coonan / Pexels. Planning reforms aim to slash delivery time and cost The Labour Government has said their planning reforms will “slash a year off infrastructure delivery”, after announcing it […]
10 Apr 2025
Image description: A wading curlew foraging in water. Image by Rober So / Pexels. New planning reforms could push species towards extinction and destroy precious habitats, the UK’s leading nature organisations have warned the government. The heads of over 30 UK conservation groups have written to Defra Secretary of State Steve Reed and Housing […]
27 Mar 2025
A new report from Public First has urged the Chancellor to commit at least £1.5 Bn annually on flood defences in the spending review, with no current funding commitment from the Labour government on flood defences beyond April 2026. Image description: A house and powerlines submerged in water. Image by Wes Warren The […]
27 Jan 2025
As part of its commitment to “getting Britain building again”, the government is publishing a series of working papers on different aspects of planning reform, designed to inform further policy development in collaboration with the wider sector. The latest paper invites views on how the government could reform the process for consenting Nationally Significant Infrastructure […]
27 Jan 2025
Policy Connect has published a new report arguing that the Government should reform flood and coastal erosion risk management policy to protect vulnerable communities and deliver sustainable housing and economic growth. The fourth Bricks and Water inquiry by the Westminster Sustainable Business Forum comes at a critical time. The new Government has committed to building 1.5 million […]
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