News
Thursday 16th October 2025
How close is the Planning and Infrastructure Bill to becoming law?
Reforms laid out in the new Planning and Infrastructure Bill have broadly been welcomed by the construction industry. But what is included? And when can we expect it to become law? This article looks at the key questions and how the construction sector has responded so far.
How far has the Bill progressed?
In March 2025, the Planning and Infrastructure Bill made its debut in the House of Commons. Introduced by the then Housing Secretary Angela Rayner, the Bill promises to spark a “building boom” for UK construction.
Following months of scrutiny, the Bill is still making its way through Parliament. It is expected to receive Royal Assent in late 2025 or early 2026, once the Houses of Lords and Commons have agreed on any amendments and ironed out the final details.
A more efficient planning process
The main contribution of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill will be to streamline the planning system. In doing so, the government hopes that it will create the conditions to enable delivery of the 1.5 million new homes it has promised by 2029.
As well as streamlining planning processes, the Bill seeks to reduce the scope and influence of planning committees that could delay projects. “By ensuring shovels can be put in the ground more quickly and projects are freed from unnecessary bureaucracy, these measures will help deliver a building boom that will deliver a major boost to the economy worth billions of pounds, and create tens of thousands more jobs as houses and infrastructure are built,” the government says.
How has the construction industry responded?
Within construction, there is a sense of optimism that the Bill, and other forthcoming measures, will provide the impetus needed to support the “building boom”.
The Bill follows a slowdown in construction that many blame on overly onerous planning rules. Notably, it was revealed last year that only 230,000 units were granted planning permission, the lowest figure for any 12-month period in the last decade.
“Identifying more land for development and removing the treacle from the planning process that delays applications is essential if we are to increase housing supply,” commented Neil Jefferson, CEO of Home Builders Federations when the Bill was introduced in March 2025. He added that “the swift moves to address these blocks in the planning system are very welcome and will pay dividends if the other constraints on housing supply can be tackled.”Â
Similarly, Jennie Daly, CEO of Taylor Wimpey, said: “We continue to be impressed by the speed with which the government has gripped the need for planning reform to deliver much needed new housing supply. New high-quality housing and the infrastructure it brings are essential drivers of economic growth.”