Morning, Thursday, 20th November 2025
Online
This conference will examine next steps for environmental protection in the planning system in England and Wales.
It will bring together policymakers and stakeholders to assess implications of recent legislative and regulatory changes, including the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, updates to the National Planning Policy Framework, as well as evolving priorities associated with both the Levelling Up Fund and Environmental Improvement Plan.
Legislative and policy changes
Sessions will examine the direction of national policy, issues for local implementation, and implications for meeting both environmental responsibilities and broader housing and infrastructure delivery goals. There will also be discussion of the proposed role of the National Infrastructure Strategy and Transition Authority in coordinating major project consents, including implications for system design, delivery speed, and environmental safeguards.
Biodiversity Net Gain exemptions, stakeholder implications and key enablers
Planned sessions consider the future of biodiversity policy in light of recent consultations on exempting small sites from Biodiversity Net Gain requirements. Attendees will assess implications for local authorities, developers, and landowners. They will also look at issues around the capacity of offset markets, the stability of supply chains for biodiversity credits, and the consistency of implementation across different project types - particularly for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects. Wider issues around long-term stewardship, accountability, and enforcement will also be explored.
Balancing environmental and development priorities in spatial planning
Discussion will examine how spatial decisions are balancing competing pressures across housing, infrastructure, and environmental objectives. Delegates will consider the role of green belt, grey belt, and brownfield sites in meeting development needs while maintaining environmental value, and the scope for more coordinated spatial strategies across planning tiers. We expect sessions also to explore the contribution of planning to circular economy goals, including how reforms to landfill tax and the introduction of digital waste tracking may affect site viability, design, and long-term land use.
Regulatory coordination, assessment standards and responding to climate risks
Delegates will look at the roles and interaction of key regulatory bodies under evolving planning responsibilities, including Natural England, statutory consultees, and local authorities. Delegates will assess the development and use of Environmental Delivery Plans and associated requirements for scrutiny and transparency. Further planned sessions examine expectations around ecological assessment and enforcement, as well as the capacity of local planning teams to respond to climate-related risk guidance - including the treatment of downstream emissions under updated Environmental Impact Assessment requirements, following the Finch judgment.
