Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 in Wales
2025 c. 34 · Enacted 18 December 2025 · Extends to United Kingdom
An Act to make provision about infrastructure; to make provision about town and country planning; to make provision for a scheme, administered by Natural England, for a nature restoration levy payable by developers; to make provision about development corporations; to make provision about the compulsory purchase of land; to make provision about environmental outcomes reports; and for connected purposes.
[18th December 2025]
Be it enacted by the King’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—
Contents
- Part 1: Infrastructure
- Chapter 1: Nationally significant infrastructure projects
- 1National policy statements: review
- 2National policy statements: parliamentary requirements
- 3Projects relating to water
- 4Power to disapply requirement for development consent
- 5Applications for development consent: removal of certain pre-application requirements
- 6Applications for development consent: changes related to section 5
- 7Applications for development consent: acceptance stage
- 8Applications for development consent: local impact reports and representations
- 9Examination of applications for development consent
- 10Applications for development consent: costs
- 11Planning Act 2008: right to enter and survey land
- 12Changes to, and revocation of, development consent orders Not yet in force
- 13Planning Act 2008: legal challenges
- Chapter 2: Electricity infrastructure
- Connections to the electricity transmission and distribution systems
- 14Connections to electricity network: licence and other modifications
- 15Scope of modification power under section 14
- 16Procedure relating to modifications under section 14
- 17Directions to modify connection agreements
- 18Managing connections to the network: strategic plans etc
- Consents for electricity infrastructure in Scotland
- 19Consents for generating stations and overhead lines: applications
- 20Variation of consents etc
- 21Proceedings for questioning certain decisions on consents
- 22Applications for necessary wayleaves: fees
- 23Regulations
- 24Sections 19 to 23: minor and consequential amendments
- Long duration electricity storage
- 26Long duration electricity storage
- Consumer benefits
- 27Benefits for homes near electricity transmission projects
- Electricity transmission period
- 28Electricity transmission systems: extension of commissioning period
- Electricity generation on forestry land
- 29Use of forestry estate for renewable electricity
- Wind generating stations and seismic array systems
- 30Wind generating stations that may affect seismic array systems
- Chapter 3: Transport infrastructure
- Amendments to the Highways Act 1980
- 31Fees for certain services
- 32Power of strategic highways company in relation to trunk roads
- 33Deadlines for consultation and decisions on certain orders and schemes
- 34Procedure for certain orders and schemes
- 35Compulsory acquisition powers to include taking of temporary possession
- Amendments to the Transport and Works Act 1992
- 36Replacement of model clauses with guidance
- 37Removal of special procedure for projects of national significance
- 38Duty to hold inquiry or hearing
- 39Costs of inquiries
- 40Deadline for decisions
- 41Publication of decisions and time for bringing challenge
- 42Fees for certain services
- 43Deemed grant of listed building consent etc Not yet in force
- 44Deemed consent under marine licence
- 45Authorisation of applications by local authorities
- 47Power to make consequential amendments
- Harbours
- 48Fees for applications for harbour orders
- Electric vehicle charge points etc
- 49Installation of electric vehicle charge points
- 50Accessibility of public charging or refuelling points Not yet in force
- Part 2: Planning
- Chapter 1: Planning decisions
- 51Fees for planning applications etc
- 52Surcharge on planning fees
- 53Training for local planning authorities in England
- 54Delegation of planning decisions in England
- 55Directions giving deemed planning permission: special regard to heritage assets
- 56Planning permission etc: extension of time in event of legal challenge
- 57Provision of advice by Natural England to public authorities
- Chapter 2: Spatial development strategies
- 58Spatial development strategies
- Part 3: Development and nature recovery
- Overview
- 59Overview of EDPs
- Environmental delivery plans: content
- 60Scope of an EDP: area, kind and volume of development and time period
- 61Environmental features, environmental impacts and conservation measures
- 62Nature restoration levy: charging schedules
- 63Other requirements for an EDP
- Environmental delivery plans: procedure
- 64Draft EDP: notification and consultation
- 65Making of EDP by Secretary of State
- 66Publication of EDP
- Environmental delivery plans: reporting, amendment, revocation and challenge
- 67Reporting on an EDP
- 68Amendment of an EDP
- 69Revocation of an EDP
- 70Remedial action by Secretary of State where EDP ends or is revoked
- 71Challenging an EDP
- The nature restoration levy
- 72Commitment to pay the nature restoration levy
- 73Regulations about the nature restoration levy
- 74Liability to pay the levy
- 75Amount of the levy
- 76Appeals
- 77Use of nature restoration levy
- 78Collection of nature restoration levy
- 79Enforcement
- 80Compensation
- 81Guidance about the nature restoration levy
- Powers and duties: Natural England etc
- 82Administering, implementing and monitoring EDPs
- 83Power to enter and survey or investigate land
- 84Warrant to enter and survey or investigate land
- 85Powers of entry: further provision
- 86Powers of entry: compensation
- 87Powers of entry: offences
- 88Remedial action: powers of Secretary of State etc to enter and survey or investigate land
- 89Compulsory purchase powers: Natural England
- 90Compulsory purchase powers: Secretary of State
- 91Annual reports
- Power to designate another person to prepare EDPs etc
- 92Power to designate person to exercise functions under this Part
- 93Transfer schemes in connection with regulations under section 92(1)
- Supplementary
- 94General duties when exercising functions relating to EDPs
- 95Duty of co-operation
- 96Amendments relating to this Part
- 97Regulations
- 98Application to the Crown
- 99Interpretation
- Part 4: Development corporations
- 100Areas for development and remit
- 101Relationship between different types of development corporation
- 102Duties to have regard to sustainable development and climate change
- 103Powers in relation to infrastructure
- 104Exercise of transport functions and transfer schemes
- Part 5: Compulsory purchase
- 105Electronic service etc
- 106Required content of newspaper notices
- 107Confirmation by acquiring authority: orders with modifications
- 108General vesting declarations: expedited procedure
- 109General vesting declarations: advancement of vesting by agreement
- 110Adjustment of basic and occupier’s loss payments
- 111Home loss payments: exclusions
- 112Temporary possession of land in connection with compulsory purchase
- 113Amendments relating to section 14A of the Land Compensation Act 1961
- 114New powers to appoint an inspector
- Part 6: Miscellaneous and general provision
- 115Reporting on extra-territorial environmental outcomes
- 116The Crown
- 117Extent
- 118Commencement and transitional provision
- 119Short title
- Schedule 1: Minor and consequential amendments to the Electricity Act 1989
- 1Paragraph 1
- 2Paragraph 2
- 3Paragraph 3
- 4Paragraph 4
- 5Paragraph 5
- 6Paragraph 6
- 7Paragraph 7 Not yet in force
- 8Paragraph 8
- 9Paragraph 9
- 10Paragraph 10
- 11Paragraph 11
- 12Paragraph 12
- 13Paragraph 13
- Schedule 2: Section 58: minor and consequential amendments
- 1Town and Country Planning Act 1990
- 2Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 Not yet in force
- 3Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 Not yet in force
- 4Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 Not yet in force
- 5Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 Not yet in force
- 6Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 Not yet in force
- 7Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 Not yet in force
- 8Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 Not yet in force
- 9Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 Not yet in force
- 10Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 Not yet in force
- 11Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 Not yet in force
- 12Habitats Regulations Not yet in force
- 13Interpretation Not yet in force
- Schedule 3: Environmental delivery plans: effect on environmental obligations
- 1Protected sites: assessments under Part 6 of the Habitats Regulations 2017
- 2Protected sites: SSSIs
- 3Protected sites: marine conservation zones
- 4Protected species: licences under Part 5 of the Habitats Regulations 2017
- 5Protected species: licences under Part 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981
- 6Protected species: licences under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992
- Schedule 4: Compulsory acquisition of land under Part 3: supplementary provisions
- 1Application of Acquisition of Land Act 1981
- 2Paragraph 2
- 3Extinguishment of private rights of way etc
- 4Paragraph 4
- 5Paragraph 5
- 6Paragraph 6
- 7Paragraph 7
- 8New rights: application of Compulsory Purchase Act 1965
- 9Paragraph 9
- 10Paragraph 10
- 11Paragraph 11
- 12Paragraph 12
- 13Paragraph 13
- 14Paragraph 14
- 15New rights: application of the Compulsory Purchase (Vesting Declarations) Act 1981
- 16Paragraph 16
- 17New rights: compensation
- 18Paragraph 18
- Schedule 5: Amendments relating to Part 3
- Part 1: Ramsar sites: amendments to the Habitats Regulations 2017
- 1Paragraph 1
- 2Paragraph 2
- 3Paragraph 3
- 4Paragraph 4
- 5Paragraph 5
- 6Paragraph 6
- 7Paragraph 7
- 8Paragraph 8
- 9Paragraph 9
- 10Paragraph 10
- 11Paragraph 11
- 12Paragraph 12
- 13Paragraph 13
- 14Paragraph 14
- 15Paragraph 15
- 16Paragraph 16
- 17Paragraph 17
- 18Paragraph 18
- 19Paragraph 19
- 20Paragraph 20
- 21Paragraph 21
- 22Paragraph 22
- 23Paragraph 23
- 24Paragraph 24
- 25Paragraph 25
- 26Paragraph 26
- 27Paragraph 27
- 28Paragraph 28
- 29Paragraph 29
- 30Paragraph 30
- 31Paragraph 31
- 32Paragraph 32
- 33Paragraph 33
- 34Paragraph 34
- 35Paragraph 35
- 36Paragraph 36
- 37Paragraph 37
- 38Paragraph 38
- 39Paragraph 39
- Part 2: Minor and consequential amendments related to Part 3
- 40Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981
- 41Town and Country Planning Act 1990
- 42Paragraph 42
- 43Paragraph 43
- 44Protection of Badgers Act 1992
- 45Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009
- 46Environmental Assessment of Plans and Programmes Regulations 2004
- 47Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017
- 48Paragraph 48
- 49Paragraph 49
- 50Paragraph 50
- 51Paragraph 51
- 52Paragraph 52