Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025

Key Points

• Creates a national spatial planning framework, including a formal spatial development strategy, strategic planning boards, a clear timetable for preparation, examination and adoption, and a government power to intervene if planning authorities fail to act.
• Introduces Environmental Delivery Plans funded by a nature restoration levy, with required conservation measures, reporting duties, and, under a framework for accountability, potential independent oversight of levy funds.
• Strengthens environmental protections (e.g., chalk streams and other irreplaceable habitats) and updates safeguards under Ramsar/Habitat protections, while embedding new provisions on energy (including long‑duration storage and connectivity/licensing reforms) and water infrastructure (e.g., desalination) within the planning system.
• Overhauls the regime for nationally significant infrastructure projects and cross-border planning arrangements, expanding the Secretary of State’s powers to influence delivery and to handle environmental and regulatory considerations.
• Includes provisions on land access for development (with time-limited possession powers and warrants for enforcement), reservoir safety reforms, and a more defined regulatory pathway for initial regulations (with debate over whether those should be subject to affirmative parliamentary procedures).
• Engages devolved administrations through Legislative Consent Motions and Memoranda, reflecting ongoing UK-wide planning and environmental policy while preserving devolved scrutiny and input.
• Politically, Labour broadly supported the final package in the Commons, with Conservatives and several other parties often opposing or seeking amendments; the Lords pushed a range of amendments—particularly on water infrastructure, environmental safeguards and procedural rules—which the Commons debated, amended in lieu, and ultimately sought to resolve before Royal Assent.

Progress

The bill moved through all Commons and Lords stages, with extensive negotiation between Houses over environmental protections, housing and energy provisions, and regulatory procedures. It received Royal Assent on 18 December 2025, becoming law.

Voting

In the Commons, the bill passed at Third Reading (306 Aye to 174 No) amid cross‑party support for the final text, while opposition was strongest from Conservative MPs and other parties on several provisions. Across the Lords, amendments were proposed to strengthen environmental safeguards and infrastructure powers, with the Commons repeatedly disagreeing and offering in‑lieu amendments; a number of Lords amendments were debated and narrowed through Commons amendments in lieu before final passage.