The preamble to the Guide to the Planning and Infrastructure Bill states its intention:

The Planning and Infrastructure Bill is central to the government’s plan to get Britain building again and deliver economic growth. The Bill will speed up and streamline the delivery of new homes and critical infrastructure, supporting delivery of the government’s Plan for Change milestones of building 1.5 million safe and decent homes in England and fast-tracking 150 planning decisions on major economic infrastructure projects by the end of this Parliament. It will also support delivery of the government’s Clean Power 2030 target by ensuring that key clean energy projects are built as quickly as possible.

Current status

The Bill had its second reading in the Lords on June 26^th 2025, where:

• The House of Lords broadly welcomed the aims of planning reform and boosting housebuilding but raised serious concerns about democratic accountability, environmental protections, and practical deliverability.
• Clause 51, which would remove councillors’ voting rights on planning committees, was condemned across parties as anti-democratic.
• Peers questioned the realism of the 1.5 million homes target, pointing to existing unbuilt permissions, land banking by developers, and major skills shortages in planning, construction, and ecology.
• Natural England was repeatedly criticised as underfunded, slow, and unable to enforce standards.
• There was strong support for social and affordable housing, brownfield-first development, and preserving urban green space.
• Concerns were raised over flood risk, solar panels on farmland, and the lack of delivery mechanisms for existing powers.
• Peers urged greater investment in planning departments, retention of Level 7 apprenticeships, and consistency in ministerial leadership. Without these, many warned, the Bill’s long-term ambitions could prove undeliverable or damaging

More can be read in Hansard