The government is set to rip up outdated planning rules to fast-track clean energy projects, unlock billions in investment,and finally overhaul the sluggish grid connection system.
The new Planning and Infrastructure Bill, introduced to Parliament yesterday, aims to strip away red tape that has delayed renewable projects for years, ensuring the country can hit its 2030 clean power target.
The bill prioritises clean energy, addressing the biggest bottlenecks that have stifled progress.
Grid queues slashed
The current ‘first come, first served’ approach to grid connections—where projects sit idle in queues for a decade—will be scrapped in favour of a ‘first ready, first connected’ system.
This means wind and solar farms, battery storage and hydrogen projects that are ready to go will get priority access, accelerating the rollout of renewables.
Around twice as much new transmission infrastructure is needed by 2030 as has been built in the last ten years.
The government is making grid expansion a priority, ensuring that clean energy projects can connect faster, while industrial sites and data centres—key drivers of demand—get the power they need without long waits.
Alongside grid reform, the bill streamlines planning rules for energy infrastructure, especially in Scotland, where the consent process for onshore wind and pylons will be accelerated.
The government also plans to unlock billions for long-duration electricity storage, vital for balancing the grid as more renewables come online.
We’re creating the biggest building boom in a generation – as a major step forward in getting Britain building again and unleashing economic growth in every corner of the country, by lifting the bureaucratic burden which has been holding back developments for too long.
The Planning and Infrastructure Bill will unleash seismic reforms to help builders get shovels in the ground quicker to build more homes, and the vital infrastructure we need to improve transport links and make Britain a clean energy superpower to protect billpayers.
Angela Rayner Deputy PM
EV rollout charged up
Electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure will also see a boost. New rules will slash the red tape that has slowed down EV charge point installations, making it easier, cheaper and faster to roll out chargers on public roads and streets.
This move is key to supporting the rapid adoption of EVs and ensuring charging infrastructure keeps pace with demand.
Paid for pylons
Households near new electricity pylons won’t be left out. Under the new scheme, people living within 500 metres of transmission infrastructure will receive up to £2,500 in bill discounts over ten years. Meanwhile, communities hosting major grid infrastructure could benefit from millions in funding for local projects, including sports clubs and educational programmes.
Beyond clean energy, the bill introduces sweeping reforms to speed up infrastructure development across the country.
Large-scale projects such as wind farms, roads, and railways currently face years of delays due to lengthy planning approvals and legal challenges. The bill changes this by streamlining consultation requirements, ensuring infrastructure applications are assessed against updated policies every five years, and limiting the number of legal challenges major projects can face.
One legal challenge
To prevent unnecessary delays, meritless legal cases will be restricted to just one attempt at a challenge, down from the current three.
This means vital infrastructure projects, including nuclear plants and wind farms, can be approved and built much faster.
Data shows that 58% of all major infrastructure projects have been taken to court, causing significant delays—something the government is keen to put an end to.
Housebuilding
Housebuilding is also getting a shake-up. Planning decisions will be streamlined, with councils given the power to set their own planning fees to cover costs, addressing a system currently running a £362 million deficit.
A new national scheme will determine which applications should be handled by planning officers and which should go to committee, eliminating unnecessary bureaucracy.
Nature protection
To ensure nature isn’t left behind, the bill creates a Nature Restoration Fund. Developers will contribute to pooled environmental initiatives rather than navigating costly and time-intensive individual biodiversity requirements. This approach aims to balance economic growth with nature conservation more effectively.
Compulsory purchase laws are also being reformed to make it easier to acquire land for housing and major developments in the public interest. Compensation rules will be adjusted to prevent excessive payouts to landowners and accelerate regeneration projects.
Decisions on compulsory purchases will be delegated to inspectors, councils, or mayors instead of the Secretary of State, further speeding up the process.
Regional planning
A new system of ‘strategic planning’ will be introduced across England to align development needs with infrastructure requirements. Led by mayors or local authorities, this framework will ensure a more coordinated approach to planning and growth.
Development Corporations, which played a major role in delivering post-war new towns, will be strengthened to facilitate large-scale housing projects.
These corporations will be given greater powers to drive forward the government’s ambition to build 1.5 million new homes with the necessary infrastructure, including GP surgeries, schools and public transport.
Parliament to pass bills faster
The bill also tackles the UK’s housing crisis by tripling the number of major infrastructure decisions made in this Parliament.
The government is targeting at least 150 major project approvals, up from just 57 in the last Parliament and more than 130 since 2011.
So far, 10 approvals have been granted, including six solar farms delivering nearly 3GW of clean energy.
Overall, Labour says this sweeping set of reforms aims to accelerate the transition to clean power, modernise infrastructure and support economic growth by making Britain a more attractive place for investment and development.
