Britain eliminates the requirement for planning consultation to accelerate major infrastructure projects
The British government announced on Thursday that it will remove the mandatory requirement of a 'pre-application consultation' for major infrastructure projects by the end of this month. This planning reform, according to the government, would cut a 'approval timeframe down by up to 12 months.
The Labour government of Prime Minister Keir Starmer has placed planning reform at the heart of its plan to boost economic development. It claims that lengthy approval processes have caused investment to slow down and critical infrastructure projects delayed.
The government claimed that the reforms would save developers approximately PS1 billion ($1.34 Billion) during the current Parliament.
Michael Shanks, the UK's energy minister, said that Britain cannot afford to delay infrastructure required to increase clean power generation and improve energy security.
Shanks stated that "every turbine, 'every solar panel and every cable we connect help protect families from volatile fuel markets, and pave the way for a?new era of clean energy in?our country."
DATA CENTRES - ENERGY PROJECTS
The changes will take effect on 24 July and remove the pre-application consultation requirement for projects like wind farms, solar power projects, reservoirs, and transport links. Instead, developers and authorities can engage earlier in planning and development.
The government stated that the "wider reforms" would help speed up approvals for data centers. Three proposed developments have been designated as 'nationally significant infrastructure projects' by ministers.
The changes are part of a wider reform in planning that aims to?reduce delays caused by?legal challenges? and give ministers more power over certain planning decisions.
The government has approved at least '150 other projects during this parliament compared to the 59 that were decided in the previous parliament.
Changes will also be made to remove the requirement for pre-application consultations on certain offshore wind projects.
(source: Reuters)
