Levelling Up Secretary unveils fast-track planning route intended to speed up major infrastructure projects

Major infrastructure projects such as road improvements and offshore wind farms will be delivered more quickly through a new fast-track planning route, the Secretary of State for Levelling Up has said.

Greg Clark suggested new fast track consenting powers would mean shorter deadlines can be set for examinations of Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects. The relevant Secretary of the State – for example for Energy, Transport, Environment or Levelling Up – will decide whether to put the shorter deadline in place.

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities said this would also mean decisions on smaller (non-material) changes to projects that have already been approved can be made much more quickly – “currently these can take up to 16 months, sometimes causing significant delays to delivery”.

The position statement on fast-track consenting and faster post-consent changes can be viewed here.

Levelling Up Secretary Greg Clark said: “Particularly in a time of high inflation, things need to be done more quickly or costs of major infrastructure projects will rise.

“These changes will help deliver new infrastructure more quickly, by speeding up the planning process which often moves too slowly.”

The government will make the changes to the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects process through amendments to the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill.