An amendment to the Planning and Infrastructure Bill has been introduced to scrap ‘burdensome’ statutory consultation requirements.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government announced the changes to the draft legislation this week.

It claims the measure could halve the average two-year statutory pre-consultation period for  major infrastructure projects.

The announcement came as a Parliamentary committee set up to scrutinise the legislation heard evidence for the first time yesterday after the bill passed its first and second readings in the Commons in March.

A MHCLG statement said: “Burdensome statutory consultation requirements unique to major infrastructure projects will be scrapped, through amendments to the pro-growth Planning and Infrastructure Bill, cutting down the average two-year statutory pre-consultation period by half and paving the way for new roads, railways, and windfarms that will bolster the country’s connectivity and energy security.

“Developers currently spend significant time and money on long, technical documents resulting in communities feeling fatigued and confused, which is a direct result of overly complex planning rules that are leaving working people deprived of the things their areas need to thrive. It also disincentivises developers making improvements to projects for fear of having to re-consult, even if in the community’s best interest.”

The government says that it will set out new statutory guidance to ‘promote meaningful local engagement’  but it will also allow schemes to be adapted as needed ‘without restarting the process’ – reducing delays and costs for projects.

Any measures to cut red tape are welcome as part of the government’s reform of the planning system. We look forward to seeing more about these proposals and what form the new  statutory guidance will take.

Please contact us to find out how the Planning and Infrastructure Bill will affect your plans or project, if it becomes law.

ENDS