The UK government’s Planning and Infrastructure Bill 2025 is a flagship legislative reform aimed at overhauling the planning process for large-scale projects, including energy infrastructure.

By streamlining approvals, modernising outdated procedures, and reducing legal bottlenecks, the Bill seeks to accelerate delivery of critical infrastructure needed to meet the country’s Clean Power 2030 goals.

The Planning and Infrastructure Bill is expected to receive Royal Assent—and thus become law—around October 2025, with the initial implementation phase starting November 2025.

Secondary legislation and guidance will follow between December 2025 and June 2026, with full enforcement from July 2026 onward.

The reforms respond to a dramatic slowdown in DCO approvals—from 2.6 years in 2012 to 4.2 years in 2021—caused by burdensome documentation, repeated consultations, outdated National Policy Statements (“NPS”), and excessive legal challenges.

The Bill proposes to simplify the NSIP process by mandating NPS be updated every five years, allowing faster adjustments as needed.

It also restricts legal challenges by allowing appeals only in judicial review cases that are not deemed entirely without merit at oral permission hearings.

The Infrastructure Planning (Onshore Wind and Solar Generation) Order 2025, due to come into force on 31 December 2025, raises the NSIP threshold for both solar and onshore wind projects to 100MW, reversing the previous 50MW limit.

Projects under 100MW will now be assessed via local planning authorities, effectively closing the inefficient “dead zone” of 50–150MW where project viability was hindered by complex—and costly—NSIP procedures.

However, while projects under the 100MW threshold normally go through local authority planning, developers can request that the Secretary of State route them through the NSIP process if this offers advantages such as a single consent for cross-boundary schemes.

Conversely, the Bill introduces a new power allowing the Secretary of State to direct that certain projects over 100MW be handled locally instead, reducing costs, shortening timelines, and unlocking capacity that might otherwise be delayed.

Additionally, the Bill streamlines consultation requirements—removing the mandatory Preliminary Environmental Information step—potentially shaving up to one year off NSIP timelines, reducing administrative burdens and enabling faster deployment of both wind and solar infrastructure.

To support the delivery of the Clean Power 2030 target and accommodate the rapid expansion of renewable energy generation, the UK Government has introduced a financial incentive for households located within 500 meters of new or upgraded electricity transmission infrastructure. This includes pylons and overhead lines required to connect emerging wind, solar, and energy storage projects. Eligible households will receive a discount of up to £250 per year on their energy bills for a period of ten years, helping to offset potential local impacts while encouraging public support for critical infrastructure development.

Coupled with community benefit funds, these measures aim to reduce opposition and planning delays to essential grid reinforcements that unlock renewable capacity and accelerate decarbonisation.