Environmental regulation reforms in effort to boost housebuilding
Water and flooding minister Emma Hardy has announced changes that aim to reduce the waiting time for an environmental permit.
Builders could be saved up to 16 weeks of waiting by moving forward with projects, conducting site investigations and installing drainage channels, rather than being held up by a permit approval.
It is hoped that this will help speed up the construction of new housing and key infrastructure in England by cutting red tape and removing early hold-ups for builders, as well as support wider government action to cut administrative costs for businesses.
The government believes there has “been strong support for proposals for a more proportionate and common-sense attitude to environmental permits”.
Currently, certain activities that are vital for the early stages of construction projects – such as site investigation works, storage of waste materials and drainage operations – are required to acquire environmental permits before building can begin.
The government considers these activities as “low risk” and so will be exempted from the permit application process, subject to appropriate controls.
Other temporary activities undertaken by individuals and SMEs, such as certain flood-risk activities on farms, will also no longer require a permit, where appropriate conditions are met.
This could save £360 based on the average permit cost and reduce delays caused by waiting for permits to be issued.
This means that many other projects, such as solar and onshore wind farms, that do not require ongoing operational permits will be able to be constructed without the need for any environmental permits where the right conditions apply.
Ms Hardy said: “We are committed to ensuring that environmental regulation works for everyone – protecting our towns and countryside from harm and delivering sustainable development.
“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.”
Under the changes, safeguards will be put in place to help ensure that decisions do not come at the expense of the environment. The Environment Agency will be required to consult on any proposed exemptions, based on transparent assessments of risk.
Jo Nettleton, chief regulator at the Environment Agency, said: “Protecting the environment and sustainable development can and must go hand-in-hand. We welcome the government’s efforts to drive economic growth through a more proportionate permitting regime.
“We have engaged closely with the consultation on reforms to environmental permitting, and look forward to continuing our work as a fair and proportionate regulator for people and the environment while supporting business and sustainable economic growth.”
Legislation will be brought forward as soon as parliamentary time allows to enshrine the changes in law.
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