UK slashes permit rules to build more wind farms and houses

The UK government has announced it will cut the red tape around environmental permits to build more houses, solar plants, wind farms, and other infrastructure across the country.

Environment Minister Emma Hardy announced on Monday 27 October that wait times for permits will be slashed, and going forward, the government will adopt a ‘common-sense’ attitude towards environmental permitting.

This is one of many planning changes pushed through by the government to help it reach its goal of building 1.5 million new homes.

Under this new approach, certain activities that are classified as low-risk by the Environment Agency will no longer require an environmental permit to begin building.

Examples of these activities include early construction project stages such as site investigation and waste materials storage.

Hardy said this change to the environmental permitting system would help to speed up the construction of new housing and infrastructure in England, which will unlock economic growth.

She said this change could help builders save up to 16 weeks on their overall build timelines rather than waiting for environmental permitting approval.

This change also means that in some cases, energy projects such as solar and onshore wind farms can now be constructed without requiring an environmental permit.

Under the right conditions and if they meet the appropriate conditions of upholding environmental protections, these types of energy projects may not need any permits at all to begin construction.

The relaxation of environmental permitting rules also applies to low-risk temporary activities undertaken by individuals and small businesses, where appropriate conditions are met.

“We are committed to ensuring that environmental regulation works for everyone – protecting our towns and countryside from harm and delivering sustainable development,” Hardy said.

“As part of the Plan for Change, a common-sense approach to environmental permitting in England will boost economic growth and unleash an era of building, while also keeping people and the environment safe.”

“As the regulatory agency for environmental permitting, the Environment Agency will be responsible for determining the use of these exemptions in a targeted manner to support construction projects in England,” she said.

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