#2026/641Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 Commencement No. 4 Regulations
AI-generated summary for informational purposes only. Not legal advice. See the original source for the authoritative text.
This regulation brings several parts of the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 into force on set dates. The changes mainly affect major infrastructure planning, development consent applications, transport functions, Natural England advice, highway orders, and delegation of planning decisions in England. Developers, public authorities, transport bodies, planning teams, and infrastructure promoters should check which rules apply from June, July, September, and October 2026. Transitional rules protect some applications, orders, and schemes that were already underway before the new provisions start.
AI-generated summary. May contain errors. Refer to official sources for legal decisions.
Key Changes
- Starts new rules on Natural England advice and transport functions the day after the regulations are made
- Starts several development consent and infrastructure planning changes on 24 July 2026
- Sets later start dates for highway consultation deadlines, model clause guidance, and delegation of planning decisions
Obligations
What this law requires
Public authorities must apply the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 section 57 framework on provision of advice by Natural England from the day after these Regulations were made.
Transport bodies and relevant authorities must apply the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 section 104 provisions on exercise of transport functions and transfer schemes from the day after these Regulations were made.
Infrastructure promoters and planning authorities must apply the new Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 rules on applications for development consent, including removal of certain pre-application requirements, acceptance stage, local impact reports, representations, examination, and right to enter and survey land, from 24 July 2026.
Applicants who notified the Secretary of State of a proposed development consent application under section 46(1) of the Planning Act 2008 before 24 July 2026 must treat that application as subject to the stated transitional provision for section 7 of the 2025 Act rather than assuming the new acceptance-stage rules apply in full.
Authorities handling relevant orders and schemes must apply the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 section 33 deadlines for consultation and decisions on certain orders and schemes from 1 September 2026.