The government has announced new measures to “break through planning barriers” by giving ministers expanded powers to intervene in major projects delayed or rejected by local councils.

The reforms form part of a strengthened Planning and Infrastructure Bill, which ministers say will help “unshackle Britain” from red tape holding back housing, energy, and water developments.

If approved, the amendments would allow the Housing Secretary to issue “holding directions” to prevent councils from rejecting major schemes while government intervention is considered. This would reverse current rules that limit such action to approved projects.

Housing Secretary Steve Reed said, “Sluggish planning has real-world consequences. Every new house blocked deprives a family of a home. Every infrastructure project that gets delayed blocks someone from a much-needed job. This will now end.”

Officials estimate the reforms could boost the UK economy by £7.5bn over the next decade, supporting thousands of new homes and infrastructure projects.

Key changes proposed

• Faster approval for water schemes: Private developers will be able to bring forward nationally significant reservoir projects to speed up supply resilience efforts.
• More onshore wind power: The bill could unlock around 3GW of renewable energy capacity, worth up to £2bn in investment.
• Planning permission protection: Permissions will no longer expire while projects are tied up in lengthy judicial reviews.
• Streamlined environmental checks: Natural England’s role will be narrowed to focus only on high-risk or high-impact cases.

The move follows government claims that nearly 900 major housing projects were blocked by councils last year, contributing to housing shortages and stalled infrastructure delivery.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves said the changes reflect a clear shift in direction: “Our pro-growth planning bill shows we are serious about cutting red tape to get Britain building again – backing the builders, not the blockers.”