Morning, Thursday, 20th November 2025
Online
This conference will examine next steps for environmental protection in the planning system in England. Delegates will examine recent developments in strategy, planning and regulation of land use, housing and infrastructure delivery, and environmental stewardship.
It will bring policymakers and stakeholders together to assess implications of recent legislative and regulatory changes, including the Planning and Infrastructure Bill as it continues its passage through Parliament. Areas for discussion include implications for meeting both environmental responsibilities, and broader housing and infrastructure delivery goals, amid concerns surrounding the potential dilution of environmental safeguards.
Updates to the National Planning Policy Framework will be considered, as well as proposed reforms to Biodiversity Net Gain requirements, and evolving priorities associated with both the Levelling Up Fund and Environmental Improvement Plan - following its annual progress report.
Delegates will consider the way forward for coordinating and enforcing environmental regulation, including the roles of regulatory bodies and the targeting of £500m in funding for environmental planning reform. Priorities for Natural England will be discussed, including in designing and delivering Environmental Development Plans, and alignment with wider spatial strategies and fostering collaboration with local authorities and environmental groups. The role of planning in supporting circular economy goals, including waste management reforms, will also be considered.
Further sessions assess further focus on balancing environmental priorities with the need for development. The Government’s commitment to fast-tracking major infrastructure decisions under the UK’s 10-Year Infrastructure Strategy and the role of the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority in environmental regulation will be examined.
Biodiversity policy, including the future of biodiversity credits and the implementation of the Nature Restoration Fund, will also be discussed, looking at implications for local authorities, developers, and landowners. Areas for discussion include market capacity, the stability of supply chains, long-term stewardship, and the role of the Nature Market Accelerator and the £1bn target for nature recovery.
Overall, areas for discussion include:
- legislative developments:
- implications of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill as it continues its passage through Parliament
- assessing its impact on environmental responsibilities and broader housing and infrastructure delivery goals - concerns surrounding potential dilution of environmental safeguards
- National Planning Policy Framework updates:
- recent updates to the framework and what they mean for local authorities and developers - proposed reforms to Biodiversity Net Gain requirements
- the relationship with the Levelling Up Fund and the Environmental Improvement Plan
- environmental regulation coordination:
- recommendations from the Corry Review on the roles and interactions of key regulatory bodies
- evolving planning responsibilities and the £500m funding for environmental planning reform - consistency and coordination across agencies and local bodies
- Natural England priorities:
- design and delivery of Environmental Development Plans - coordination with Local Nature Recovery Strategies and Local Development Plans
- engagement with developers, local authorities, and environmental groups
- environmental scrutiny and enforcement:
- developing the Environmental Outcomes Reports framework - scrutiny expectations and local planning team capacity to meet climate-related risk guidance
- enforcement challenges around updated Environmental Impact Assessments
- reconciling infrastructure and environmental priorities:
- fast-tracking major infrastructure decisions - balancing delivery speed with safeguarding nature and community outcomes
- National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority role
- environmental permitting: proposals to streamline regulations for industrial and energy sectors - identifying priority areas for reform
- land use and spatial planning:
- priorities for green belt, grey belt, and brownfield sites in meeting development needs
- maintaining environmental value alongside adequate land availability for housing and infrastructure projects - coordination of spatial strategies across planning tiers
- circular economy and waste reform: implications of reforming landfill tax and the introduction of digital waste tracking - the impact on site viability, design, and long-term land use
- biodiversity policy and nature markets:
- future of biodiversity policy in relation to local authorities, developers, and landowners - implications of Biodiversity Net Gain for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects
- concerns around capacity and stability of biodiversity offset markets - funding strategies and the Nature Restoration Fund
All delegates will be able to contribute to the output of the conference, which will be shared with parliamentary, ministerial, departmental and regulatory offices, and more widely. This includes the full proceedings and additional articles submitted by delegates. As well as key stakeholders, those due to attend include parliamentary pass-holders from the House of Commons and officials from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; Department for Energy Security and Net Zero; Department for Transport; HM Treasury; National Infrastructure Commission; Forestry Commission; and The Scottish Government.
