The Guardian
Pippa Crerar, Kiran Stacey, Sandra Laville and Patrick Barkham
23 January 2025
Keir Starmer hopes his plan to ‘take the brakes off Britain’ will send a message to business to build more
Campaigners will be blocked from “excessive” legal challenges to planning decisions for major infrastructure projects including airports, railways and nuclear power stations as part of the government’s drive for economic growth.
High court judges will be given the power to rule that judicial reviews on nationally significant projects that they regard as “totally without merit” – and which can currently be brought to the courts three times – will be unable to go to appeal.
Keir Starmer said the change would “take the brakes off Britain” by reforming the planning system, sending a message to business to build more national infrastructure, as ministers desperately pursue opportunities to improve the economy.
