​New government sets out plans for housing and infrastructure in first King’s Speech

King Charles has set out the new Labour government’s legislative priorities for the year, with reforms to the planning system for housing and infrastructure high on the agenda. 

As expected, the King’s Speech included a Planning and Infrastructure Bill, which committed to making improvements to the local planning system by “modernising” planning committees and increasing their capacity. 

It also promised to “streamline” the delivery process for critical infrastructure, including upgrades to the national grid and boosting renewable energy. 

“We will simplify the consenting process for major infrastructure projects and enable relevant, new and improved National Policy Statements to come forward, establishing a review process that provides the opportunity for them to be updated every five years, giving increased certainty to developers and communities,” the government explained in briefing papers published alongside the speech. 

The government committed to further reforms to compulsory purchase compensation rules to ensure cash given to landowners is not “excessive” where “important” infrastructure and housing are being delivered.  

They also said they would be “using development to fund nature recovery where currently both are stalled”. 

An English Devolution Bill included some key measures related to planning, promising to give local leaders “enhanced powers over strategic planning, local transport networks, skills and employment support”.  

They also said they would introduce new powers and duties for local leaders to produce local growth plans. 

Labour’s new energy body will be established through a Great British Energy Bill, which will give the new organisation powers to develop, own and operate assets, investing in partnership with the private sector.  

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Great British Energy will have a capitalisation of £8.3bn of new money over the Parliament to facilitate, encourage and participate in the production, distribution, storage and supply of clean energy 

The speech also put forward a Crown Estate Bill, which gives new borrowing powers to the owner and steward of the seabed in England and Wales. This is intended to facilitate the clean energy transition, with the Crown Estate set to be crucial in developing and leasing plots of seabed to offshore wind developers. 

Labour will continue with the former Conservative government’s intentions to use the High Speed Rail (Crewe to Manchester) Bill, which will include powers for rail infrastructure in Manchester and the surrounding area, including new stations at Manchester Piccadilly and Manchester Airport. 

The speech included some promising news for renters with the long-delayed Renters Reform Bill - now called Renters Rights Bill - which had been dropped by the previous government due to opposition from Conservative backbenchers. The law will abolish “no-fault” evictions and empower tenants to challenge “unreasonable” rent increases.

Labour also pledged to extend Awaab’s Law to private rentals. The law was named after Awaab Ishak, two, who died in 2020 due to a respiratory condition caused by prolonged exposure to damp.