Headline:

New Legislation to Expedite Crown Development Planning in England

In a bid to streamline the planning process for government projects, new regulations have been introduced to amend existing planning laws in England. These changes, outlined in the Town and Country Planning (Consequential and Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2025, aim to facilitate faster planning permissions for Crown developments, especially those of national importance and urgency.

Key Changes:

1. New Routes for Planning Permission: The regulations introduce two new pathways for obtaining planning permissions for Crown developments, as per the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 (LURA). These pathways cater to developments deemed nationally important and urgent, allowing applications to be submitted directly to the Secretary of State instead of local authorities.

2. Addressing Past Challenges: Historically, obtaining planning permission for urgent government projects, such as those responding to national emergencies or involving sensitive information, has been cumbersome. The new routes aim to overcome these delays, ensuring that critical projects can proceed without unnecessary hold-ups.

3. Technical Updates: The regulations also make minor adjustments to existing legislation to ensure consistency across applications submitted to both local planning authorities and the Secretary of State. This includes updates to application forms and requirements for reserved matters approval.

4. Limited Impact on Businesses: The changes are largely technical and are not expected to significantly impact businesses, charities, or voluntary bodies. However, they are anticipated to bring efficiency benefits to the public sector by enabling quicker decision-making for government projects.

5. Monitoring and Review: While no formal review clause is included, the Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government will monitor the overall impact of these new planning routes to ensure they effectively expedite the planning process for Crown developments.

This legislative update reflects the government's ongoing efforts to enhance efficiency in public service delivery, particularly in sectors where timely project implementation is crucial. For more detailed information, stakeholders can refer to the Planning Practice Guidance, which will be updated to align with these changes.