As the Planning and Infrastructure Bill is introduced to parliament today, 11 March, industry has given a positive reaction to the proposed legislation.

Kate Jennings, chief executive officer for The Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE) and The Environmental Industries Commission (EIC), said the bill represented a “significant and unique opportunity” to kickstart economic growth whilst meeting the UK’s climate and nature ambitions.

She added: “The bill marks a significant step towards removing blockers, unlocking the housing and infrastructure the UK desperately needs. We welcome the government’s commitment to ensuring a faster delivery of Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects, streamlining planning decisions, enabling strategic planning and giving confidence to investors.

“The real test now is whether these proposals actually lead to faster decision-making and delivery. To make faster decisions, local authorities need to be resourced effectively, which includes both adequate funding and workforce capacity.

“With a shortfall of around 200,000 workers in green industries, we also urge the government to introduce an industry skills action plan for net zero and nature recovery.

“Greater commitment to adequate resourcing and skills will enable the sector to realise the potential of this bill.

“The establishment of the Nature Restoration Fund is a positive signal that the government is treating nature recovery seriously. However, we will be looking to engage with government to ensure the fund does not weaken the application of the mitigation hierarchy, does not undermine Biodiversity Net Gain and does not risk uncertainty in nature markets.”

Housebuilders welcomed the proposals, with Home Builders Federation chief executive Neil Jefferson describing them as “swift moves to address the failings in the planning system”.

He said: “Removing blockages, speeding up the decision-making process and ensuring local planning departments have the capacity to process applications effectively will be essential to getting more sites up and running.”

Kate Henderson, chief executive of the National Housing Federation, added: “At a time when the housing crisis continues to blight lives across the country, it’s welcome to see the introduction of this bill.

“With more than 160,000 children in temporary accommodation, it’s never been more urgent to build the social homes we need.

“Planning reform is an essential part of solving the housing crisis, and a return to strategic planning is welcome. A focus on certainty and enabling local areas to work together to plan for the homes, jobs and infrastructure needed in communities will ensure every area benefits from growth.

“Measures to reform compulsory purchase orders in the bill are also welcome, and will support the delivery of affordable housing and other local infrastructure such as GPs and schools.”

Civils contractors have also welcomed the news.

Director of operations for the Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA), Marie-Claude Hemming, said: “This landmark legislation will create a smarter, faster, and more effective planning system to address the challenges faced by UK plc.

“For too long, critical infrastructure has been hindered by bureaucratic processes that stall projects and cause costly delays without improving outcomes.

“These inefficiencies have burdened the taxpayer, impeded progress and held back the capacity of businesses and communities to grow and thrive.”

She added: “We particularly welcome provisions in the bill that will fast-track new homes and infrastructure, ensuring that the default position in approving new schemes prioritises their potential to deliver growth and jobs.

“A simplified consenting process that accelerates project delivery will be essential to creating a UK that is competitive, future-ready and delivers to public expectations.”

The Institution of Civil Engineers said the bill includes “positive signs” for sparking growth and meeting the UK's climate goals.

Janet Young, director general of the Institution of Civil Engineers, said: “The proposed changes to accelerate the delivery of Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects and to improve strategic planning outlined in the government’s Planning and Infrastructure Bill are positive signs.

“Investors, the supply chain, and the public need certainty that projects will be delivered in good time to commit the investment that the UK needs to improve its infrastructure, spark economic growth and meet its climate ambitions.

“The government’s ambitions must prioritise a joined-up approach to ensure success. Getting the fundamentals of planning and delivery right is critical, and part of that is balancing community needs and environmental responsibilities with delivering the infrastructure we need to achieve the UK's goals.

“The proposals to use spatial development strategies to identify the most sustainable places to build and prioritise grid connections demonstrate that the government sees investing in infrastructure not only as key to accelerating growth, but to increasing energy security, and progressing the renewable energy transition, which is vital to build a more sustainable future.”

Richard Whitehead, chief executive (Europe and India) at global infrastructure firm AECOM, said: “It’s plain to see that the pace of development in the UK, particularly housing, isn’t meeting the needs of the nation and has been a major inhibitor of growth in recent decades.

“The government should be commended for its leadership in attempting to reform a broken system, but the new bill cannot be taken in isolation if it is to deliver the upgrade to infrastructure the country has long needed.

“With the reforms clearing the way for the government’s 10-year infrastructure strategy to take root, it’s our hope that the new National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority will be provided with the teeth to improve confidence in planning and catalyse private investment to ensure the strategy is realised.

“Capacity challenges within local planning teams remain a significant risk to this, however. As such, it’s imperative that a complementary skills strategy is devised that develops the next generation of planners, as well as the significant increase in skilled construction workers that we need to get Britain building again.”

Richard Risdon, executive board director and regional managing director for UK & Europe at Mott MacDonald,"The ambition of the bill to remove planning blockers to infrastructure delivery while also delivering for the environment is good news for our sector and the country.

“The introduction of spatial planning will enable better coordination of investment in different but interlinked areas such as transport and housing and provides a real world, place-based perspective.

“Spatial strategy provides significantly greater confidence to investors and suppliers by allowing them to better understand what new and improved infrastructure is needed, why, when and where. It also allows a deeper understanding of the implications of investment in a specific area and on the wider infrastructure need across regions and nationally.

“We support the development of strategic spatial plans within sectors that are then aggregated to give a detailed national picture of infrastructure needs and a timeline and pipeline for investment. Spatial plans are especially important for leveraging additional economic and social benefits when infrastructure development supports nature’s recovery and enhancement.

“Overall, the bill appears to be a step forward that should open the doors to investment in new infrastructure and we stand ready to deliver.”

James Corrigan, UK managing director for infrastructure at Turner & Townsend, said: “Today’s Planning and Infrastructure Bill is one of the most substantive steps we’ve seen to unlock infrastructure in recent years. With widespread changes to the consenting regime for nationally significant infrastructure projects, it signals Labour’s commitment to reducing barriers to growth.

“A streamlined planning system for England, with faster decisions and less uncertainty over outcomes will give confidence to invest to both private and public partners alike.

“It also helps address the next challenge, which is delivery. If the government gets the consenting regime right, it will also allow better control throughout the project lifecycle too. Greater certainty will improve visibility – allowing major programmes to be set up for success from the outset.

“The final piece of the puzzle is then determining where new investment will be directed, and therefore where resource will need to be built up. For this we await the Infrastructure Strategy and Spending Review in the spring.

“The test for the government will be whether it can join these dots - leveraging the impact of this new bill to unlock investment in a pipeline that is deliverable, while also being ambitious enough to support growth.”

Mark Reynolds, executive chair of Mace Group and co-chair of the Construction Leadership Council, added:  “For too long the UK’s planning systems have inhibited growth, with layer upon layer of checks and balances stifling productivity, confidence, investment and jobs.

“These proposed changes show this government is listening to industry and taking reform seriously; recognising that new homes and infrastructure are necessary to inject life into the economy.

“Our construction industry is ready to meet the challenge, and the measures highlight how mindful growth can support communities and our net zero ambitions.”