Streamlining Infrastructure Planning: The Government's Implementation Plan
min readOn 23 March 2026, the Government published its policy paper entitled Streamlining infrastructure planning: implementation plan (the Implementation Plan) setting out the steps it intends to take to bring into force the infrastructure planning reforms contained in Part 1 of the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 (PIA). While the Implementation Plan does not itself enact any further changes, it does provide useful clarity for the sector as to the likely timetable and any additional steps required for implementation of the PIA (see the summary table below).
Critically, where changes do not require complex secondary legislation and are not reliant on a response to the September 2025 consultation on streamlining infrastructure planning, then the Government will “act as soon as possible”. In terms of the more complex changes, secondary legislation is expected to be laid before Parliament this summer.
The Implementation Plan confirms:
- A response to the September 2025 consultation is expected “in the coming weeks”. At the point of writing this article, no response has been published.
- Updated guidance relating to pre-application, the acceptance test, and DCO application requirements is intended to be published prior to the reforms taking effect (though such guidance should not be relied on until the amendments are in force via secondary legislation). New guidance on the decision stage of the NSIP process and changes to judicial review of DCOs will also be published.
- The Planning Inspectorate’s (PINS) advice notes will also be reviewed and updated.
- Consideration is being given to the process for amending DCOs with a target date of 2027 for a new process to be in place.
- Transitional arrangements will be clarified, but broadly, applicants submitting applications for acceptance before the PIA provisions take effect are advised to continue in accordance with the current legal framework (and the current test for acceptance under section 55 of the Planning Act 2008 will apply). For applications submitted after the PIA amendments take effect, applicants are advised to “carefully consider” on a case-by-case basis their pre-application process and how to comply with the section 46 requirements.
The below table sets out the current target implementation timeline provided by the Government.
| Target Date | Action |
| February 2026 | The requirement for NPSs to be reviewed and updated every 5 years commenced. |
| Spring 2026 | Publish government response to the streamlining infrastructure planning consultation and updated guidance on NPSs. |
| Spring to Summer 2026 | Publish guidance on pre-application, acceptance, and content of a DCO application. Lay secondary legislation relating to cost-recovery for host local authorities in Parliament. Commence the relevant PIA provisions and lay secondary legislation for NSIP regime changes. This will include pre-application consequential changes, power to disapply requirement for development consent, and rights of entry to land for surveys measure. Publish new suite of guidance, reflecting government reforms, including examination and Section 35B requests (disapplying the requirement for development consent). |
| Summer 2026 onwards | Trial and implement new approaches to pre-application services and streamlining examinations at the Planning Inspectorate. |
| 2027 | Lay secondary legislation and commence relevant PIA 2025 provisions, publish guidance relating to DCO changes. |
Comment
The publication of the Implementation Plan provides clarity on the Government's intended timetable and demonstrates a determination to implement the reforms in a logical sequence, but there is a lot still outstanding. Outside the PIA, there are also other critical legislative changes that still to be addressed (e.g. biodiversity net gain for NSIPs which was indicated to take effect next month) in relation to which the Government has not provided an update for some time. For more information regarding the Governments proposals, see our previous article here.
