The Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill is continuing its passage through Parliament and had its second reading in the House of Commons last week. The Bill will introduce major reforms to the planning system, including a new ‘Infrastructure Levy’ to be charged to landowners and developers on the value of property when it is sold above a minimum threshold, with the proceeds going to local authorities to fund local infrastructure. It will also introduce a new requirement to prepare ‘Environmental Outcome Reports’ for major projects, which will be assessed against tangible environmental outcomes set by Government and replace the current Environmental Impact Assessments.
The Bill, which will now be sent to a Public Bill Committee for scrutiny, is expected to become law in early 2023.