City AM quotes Claire Fallows on the government's new Planning and Infrastructure Bill

The government’s Planning and Infrastructure Bill entered Parliament on Tuesday 11 March 2025, provoking a number of strong responses across the construction industry.

As City AM reports, responses have been largely positive, with praise for the government’s efforts to streamline the UK’s 'overstretched and over-regulated' planning system. City AM goes on to report that The Bill will increase focus on a system of ‘strategic planning’ across England, known as spatial development strategies. Currently, mayors – outside of London – can only develop a statutory spatial development strategy with the unanimous agreement of all councils covered by the strategy. Labour’s plan, however, will give more powers to mayors.

The Bill will also set up a national scheme of delegation, which will aim to streamline currently lengthy planning decisions. While many commentators have said that the reforms would help to speed up the planning process, some have also voiced concern.

Claire Fallows, Partner and Head of Planning, comments in the article and argues that the changes “may not be a remedy” for projects stuck in development “if it is ultimately only the smaller applications which must be determined by officers”.

She adds: “The draft Planning & Infrastructure Bill only sets a legislative framework and, therefore, the detail will need to be resolved later."

Read the full article in City AM here.