Government presses ahead with plan to replace Environmental Impact Assessments

The framework will be introduced using powers in the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023 and is intended to replace the current systems of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA).

The Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) said the new approach will allow the government to manage the effects of development on the natural environment "whilst supporting better, faster and greener delivery of the infrastructure and development we need".

It also said the changes would help improve a system that routinely sees environmental assessments supporting planning applications "run to many thousands of pages".

It will also provide clarity as to whether a plan or project supports the delivery of clear environmental outcomes, shifting from a passive assessment to one focused on supporting the delivery of environmental objectives, the Government said.

The roadmap was published at the same time as a response to a consultation on the reforms launched by the previous Conservative government in 2023.

The Government aims to bring forward Environmental Outcomes Reports by the end of 2027. They will replace EIA regulations under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 and the Planning Act 2008, which govern nationally significant infrastructure projects, as well as the current SEA regime.

Alongside this, it will introduce Environmental Outcomes Reports to replace the current system of Strategic Environmental Assessment.

On moving over to the new approach, the Government said it would consider the most effective and least disruptive approach to transitioning from Environmental Impact Assessment and Strategic Environmental Assessment to Environmental Outcomes Reports, which may include parallel running of systems for a time limited period.

It also committed to designing the new system in partnership with all of those involved in the planning decision-making process.

Adam Carey