SI 2026/641 - The Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 (Commencement No. 4 and Transitional Provisions) Regulations 2026

Status: This is the original version (as it was originally made). This item of legislation is currently only available in its original format. STATUTORY INSTRUMENTS 2026 No. 641 (C. 52) TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNING, ENGLAND AND WALES URBAN DEVELOPMENT, ENGLAND AND WALES TRANSPORT, ENGLAND AND WALES INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING The Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 (Commencement No. 4 and Transitional Provisions) Regulations 2026 Made - - - - 16th June 2026 The Secretary of State makes these Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by section 118(1), (2), (4) and (7) of the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025(1). Citation and interpretation 1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 (Commencement No. 4 and Transitional Provisions) Regulations 2026. (2) In these Regulations the “2025 Act” means the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025. Provisions of the 2025 Act coming into force the day after the day on which the Regulations are made 2. The following provisions of the 2025 Act come into force on the day after the day on which these Regulations are made— (a) section 57 (provision of advice by Natural England to public authorities); (b) section 104 (exercise of transport functions and transfer schemes). (1) 2025 c. 34.Document Generated: 2026-06-18 Status: This is the original version (as it was originally made). This item of legislation is currently only available in its original format. Provisions of the 2025 Act coming into force on 24th July 2026 3. The following provisions of the 2025 Act come into force on 24th July 2026— (a) section 4 (power to disapply requirement for development consent); (b) section 5 (applications for development consent: removal of certain pre-application requirements); (c) section 6 (applications for development consent: changes related to section 5); (d) section 7 (applications for development consent: acceptance stage); (e) section 8 (applications for development consent: local impact reports and representations); (f) section 9 (examination of applications for development consent); (g) section 11 (Planning Act 2008: right to enter and survey land). Provisions of the 2025 Act coming into force on 1st September 2026 4. The following provisions of the 2025 Act come into force on 1st September 2026— (a) section 33 (deadlines for consultation and decisions on certain orders and schemes); (b) section 36 (replacement of model clauses with guidance). Provision of the 2025 Act coming into force on 31st October 2026 5. Section 54(2) of the 2025 Act (delegation of planning decisions in England) comes into force on 31st October 2026. Transitional provision in relation to section 7 of the 2025 Act 6. Where an applicant has notified the Secretary of State of a proposed application under section 46(1) of the Planning Act 2008(2) before the date on which sections 5, 6 and 7 of the 2025 Act come into force, section 55 of the Planning Act 2008(3) is to be read as if paragraph (3)(ca) is omitted. Transitional provision in relation to section 33 of the 2025 Act 7.—(1) The amendments made to the Highways Act 1980(4) by section 33 of the 2025 Act do not apply in relation to an order or scheme where the date in paragraph (2) is before the date on which that section comes into force. (2) The date in this paragraph is the date on which— (a) in the case of an order, notice of the order or proposed order is first published pursuant to paragraph 1, 1A or 2 (as applicable) of Schedule 1 to the Highways Act 1980(5), or (b) in the case of a scheme, notice of the scheme or proposed scheme is first published pursuant to paragraph 10 of Schedule 1 to the Highways Act 1980(6). (2) 2008 c. 29. Section 46 was amended by paragraph 8(3) and (2) of Schedule 13 to the Localism Act 2011 (c. 20). (3) Section 55 was amended by section 23(4)(a) and (b) of the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 (c. 23) and section 137(4) and (3) of, and Part 21 of Schedule 25 and paragraph 13(2), (3) and (4)(a) and (b) of Schedule 13 to, the Localism Act 2011 (c. 20). (4) 1980 c. 66. (5) Paragraph 1 of Schedule 1 was amended by paragraph 63(2) of Schedule 1 to the Infrastructure Act 2015 (c. 7). Paragraph 1A of Schedule 1 was inserted by section 32(7) of the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 (c. 34). Paragraph 2 of Schedule 1 was amended by paragraph 63(3)(a) and (b) of Schedule 1 to the Infrastructure Act 2015 (c. 7). (6) Paragraph 10 of Schedule 1 was amended by paragraph 63(7) of Schedule 1 to the Infrastructure Act 2015 (c. 7). 2Document Generated: 2026-06-18 Status: This is the original version (as it was originally made). This item of legislation is currently only available in its original format. Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government Matthew Pennycook Minister of State Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local 16th June 2026 Government 3Document Generated: 2026-06-18 Status: This is the original version (as it was originally made). This item of legislation is currently only available in its original format. EXPLANATORY NOTE (This note is not part of the Regulations) These Regulations bring into force provisions in the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025(7) (“the 2025 Act”). Regulation 2 brings sections 57 and 104 of the 2025 Act into force on the day after the day on which these Regulations are made. These provisions bring amendments to the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006(8) and the New Towns Act 1981(9). Regulation 3 brings sections 4 to 9 and section 11 of the 2025 Act into force on the 24th July 2026. These provisions make various amendments the Planning Act 2008, including introducing a new power for the Secretary of State to disapply the requirement for development consent and bringing in amendments to the application for development consent process for nationally significant infrastructure projects. Regulation 4 brings into force sections 33 and 36 of the 2025 Act. Section 33 makes amendments to the Highways Act 1980(10) relating to the procedures for making certain Highways Act 1980 orders and schemes, and section 36 replaces the power to prescribe model clauses by statutory instrument of section 8 of the Transport and Works Act 1992(11) with a new power to publish guidance on draft orders, which may include model provisions. Regulation 5 brings into force section 54(2) of the 2025 Act. This provision amends the wording of section 316(3) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1980(12). Regulation 6 makes a transitional provision in relation to section 7 of the 2025 Act. Where an application is submitted before the provision comes into force, section 55 of the Planning Act 2008 will read as if the newly inserted paragraph (3)(ca) is omitted. Regulation 7 makes transitional provisions in relation to section 33 of the 2025 Act. The transitional provisions make it so that the amendments to the Highways Act 1980 brought into force by these Regulations do not apply in relation to an order or scheme where the date in paragraph (2) is before the date on which section 33 of the 2025 Act comes into force. An impact assessment has been produced in relation to the Act and copies can be obtained at https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/bills/cbill/59-01/0196/IA_annexes.pdf or from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government at 2 Marsham Street, London, SW1P 4DF, United Kingdom. NOTE AS TO EARLIER COMMENCEMENT REGULATIONS (This note is not part of the Regulations) The following provisions of the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 have been brought into force by commencement regulations made before the date of these Regulations. (7) 2025 c. 34. (8) 2006 c. 16. (9) 1981 c. 64. (10) 1980 c. 66. (11) 1992 c. 42. (12) 1990 c. 8. 4Document Generated: 2026-06-18 Status: This is the original version (as it was originally made). This item of legislation is currently only available in its original format. Provision Date of Commencement S.I. No. Section 1 18.02.2026 2025/1370 Section 2 18.02.2026 2025/1370 Section 13 18.02.2026 2025/1370 Section 49 13.03.2026 2026/292 Section 59 19.12.2025 2025/1370 Section 60 19.12.2025 2025/1370 Section 61 19.12.2025 2025/1370 Section 62 19.12.2025 2025/1370 Section 63 19.12.2025 2025/1370 Section 64(1) 19.12.2025 2025/1370 Section 82 19.12.2025 2025/1370 Section 91 01.04.2026 2025/1370 Section 94 19.12.2025 2025/1370 Section 95 19.12.2025 2025/1370 Section 97 19.12.2025 2025/1370 Section 99 19.12.2025 2025/1370 Section 100 18.02.2026 2025/1370 Section 101(6) to (9) 18.02.2026 2025/1370 Section 102 18.02.2026 2025/1370 Section 103 18.02.2026 2025/1370 Section 106 (partially) 19.12.2025 2025/1370 Section 106 (remainder) 18.02.2026 2025/1370 Section 108 (partially) 19.12.2025 2025/1370 Section 108 (remainder) 18.02.2026 2025/1370 Section 109 (partially) 19.12.2025 2025/1370 Section 109 (remainder) 18.02.2026 2025/1370 Section 113(3) and (4) 19.12.2025 2025/1370 (partially) Section 113(3) and (4) 18.02.2026 2025/1370 (remainder) Part 3 (remainder) 18.02.2026 2025/1370 In Schedule 5— Part 1 except paragraph 14(2) 21.05.2026 2026/549 5