Regulations made on 18 December 2025 bring into force selected provisions of the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 and the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025. The instrument stages commencement for compulsory purchase reforms, National Policy Statement review requirements and Natural England’s Environmental Delivery Plan regime, with key dates on 19 December 2025, 18 February 2026 and 1 April 2026.
From 19 December 2025, Natural England can begin the Environmental Delivery Plan framework under the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025. Sections 59–63, 64(1), 82, 94, 95, 97 and 99 commence, setting out what an EDP must contain, establishing duties to notify and consult on a draft, creating functions for administering, implementing and monitoring EDPs, imposing general duties when exercising EDP functions, introducing a duty on public authorities to co‑operate with Natural England, providing for a nature restoration levy through future regulations, and defining terms.
For planning authorities and public bodies, the immediate shift is organisational. Natural England’s ability to start EDP preparation, combined with a statutory duty on authorities to co‑operate, points to increased requests for evidence, data-sharing and alignment of delivery programmes with defined conservation measures. The levy provisions create a legal basis for future charging schedules, signalling that finance teams may need to assess exposure once draft schedules are consulted upon.
Compulsory purchase changes under the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 take effect on 18 February 2026. Sections 183 and 184, together with paragraphs 2 to 7 of Schedule 18 and paragraph 3 of Schedule 19, enable conditional confirmation of orders, including corresponding provisions for ministerial purchases. The scope is limited to orders under the Acquisition of Land Act 1981 that are subject to confirmation by a confirming authority other than the Welsh Ministers, or prepared in draft by an acquiring authority other than the Welsh Ministers.
Transitional protection is explicit. The amendments to the Acquisition of Land Act 1981 do not apply where notice of the making of a compulsory purchase order, or notice of its preparation in draft, was first published before 18 February 2026. Separately, amendments made by section 108 of the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 to the Compulsory Purchase (Vesting Declarations) Act 1981 do not apply to compulsory acquisitions authorised before section 108 comes into force.
Further compulsory purchase reforms under the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 roll out in two stages. On 19 December 2025, sections 106, 108, 109 and 113(3)–(4) commence for the limited purpose of enabling regulation‑making. From 18 February 2026, section 106 on required content for newspaper notices, section 108 introducing an expedited general vesting declaration procedure for unoccupied land or where no interest‑holders can be identified, section 109 allowing advancement of vesting by agreement, and section 113(3)–(4) enabling compensation directions referencing section 14A of the Land Compensation Act 1961, come into force in England to the extent not already commenced. The newspaper notice provision also applies where the confirming authority is not the Welsh Ministers.
The National Policy Statement regime is tightened from 18 February 2026. Section 1 establishes a duty to review and update each NPS at least every five years. Section 2 introduces an additional parliamentary procedure for material policy amendments as defined in the amended Planning Act 2008. Section 13 alters the legal challenge process for NPSs and for development consent decisions on nationally significant infrastructure projects taken by the Secretary of State. Departments responsible for NPSs will need to maintain review programmes and route material changes through the new parliamentary process.
Development corporation provisions also commence on 18 February 2026. Sections 100, 101(6)–(9), 102 and 103 clarify the relationship between corporation types where proposed areas overlap, resolve conflicts in favour of the higher‑tier authority, standardise objectives on sustainable development, climate change and good design across all types, and align the list of infrastructure each corporation can provide with Mayoral Development Corporations. The changes amend the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980, the New Towns Act 1981 and the Localism Act 2011.
Part 3 measures of the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 not already commenced by 19 December 2025 are brought into force on 18 February 2026, except for Part 1 of Schedule 5. This completes the statutory framework for Environmental Delivery Plans ahead of operational roll‑out.
Annual transparency follows on 1 April 2026, when section 91 commences. Natural England must publish a report for each financial year on the exercise of its functions under Part 3 of the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025, providing a baseline for scrutiny of EDP administration and delivery.
For acquiring authorities, the timetable means orders with first publication of notice on or after 18 February 2026 will sit under the new conditional confirmation framework, while earlier orders remain under the existing rules. For NSIP promoters, the five‑year NPS review cycle and changes to judicial review windows will influence programme assumptions. For local government and agencies, the duty to co‑operate with Natural England during EDP preparation implies early engagement on data, evidence and delivery capacity.
The instrument was signed by the Minister of State, Matthew Pennycook, at 2.20 p.m. on 18 December 2025. Impact assessments for the Levelling‑up and Regeneration Act 2023 and for the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 are available from official Government publications and the responsible department.