The Government has signed the commencement instrument setting the start dates for key provisions of the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 and the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025. The Statutory Instrument is SI 2025/1370, made on 18 December 2025, with the bulk of operational changes beginning on 18 February 2026 in England.
From the day after the Regulations were made (19 December 2025), regulation‑making powers on compulsory purchase procedure and several building blocks for Environmental Delivery Plans (EDPs) took effect. This includes Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 sections 106, 108, 109 and 113(3)–(4) for the purpose of making regulations, and Part 3 provisions on the scope, content and administration of EDPs: sections 59–63, 64(1), 82, 94, 95, 97 and 99.
Compulsory purchase: from 18 February 2026, section 183 of the Levelling‑up and Regeneration Act 2023 introduces conditional confirmation. Confirming authorities may confirm a compulsory purchase order subject to conditions; the order becomes operative only once the acquiring authority applies and the confirming authority decides the conditions are met. Consequential amendments in Schedules 18 and 19 also commence on this date for orders not handled by the Welsh Ministers.
Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects: the same 18 February 2026 date activates Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 sections 1, 2 and 13. These require a full review of each National Policy Statement at least every five years, introduce an additional parliamentary route for material policy changes, and amend the legal challenge regime under the Planning Act 2008. Project sponsors should assume a more frequent NPS maintenance cycle.
Development corporations: sections 100–103 of the 2025 Act commence on 18 February 2026. They clarify the relationship between corporation types, standardise objectives on sustainable development and climate change, and align the list of infrastructure that any development corporation can provide, bringing parity with existing Mayoral Development Corporations.
Compulsory purchase procedure changes under the 2025 Act are significant. Section 106 simplifies required content of newspaper notices. Section 108 creates an expedited general vesting declaration (GVD) where land is unoccupied, interest‑holders cannot be identified, or where disrepair, neglect, contamination or health and safety risk makes the land unfit for its ordinary use-allowing vesting from six weeks after service of notices. Section 109 permits vesting earlier than the specified date by agreement with owners. The commencement order applies these in England and, where stated, only so far as not already in force.
Environmental Delivery Plans: the 2025 Act defines an EDP as a plan prepared by Natural England and made by the Secretary of State, setting out environmental features at risk from specified development, conservation measures, the nature restoration levy payable, and which environmental obligations may be discharged, disapplied or modified on payment of that levy. These definitional and administrative provisions are already in force to enable preparation.
Natural England has confirmed it has decided to prepare 23 EDPs under section 64(1), publishing its notification on 19 December 2025: sixteen on nutrient pollution and seven for great crested newts. Ministers previously indicated initial consultations would focus on nutrient pollution EDPs ahead of others.
Operational duties around EDPs also now apply. Section 94 sets general duties when exercising EDP functions, section 95 places a co‑operation duty on public authorities to assist Natural England, and section 82 covers administering, implementing and monitoring EDPs. Natural England has stated publicly that EDPs will be evidence‑based, geographically targeted and subject to consultation and approval.
Annual reporting: section 91 of the 2025 Act starts on 1 April 2026. For each financial year, Natural England must report on EDPs in force and in preparation, any amendments or revocations, and levy receipts and conservation spending, sending the report to the Secretary of State for laying before Parliament.
Transitional arrangements are built in. The amendments to the Acquisition of Land Act 1981 made by the 2023 Act do not bite where the statutory notice of making or draft preparation of a CPO was first published before commencement, and the expedited GVD amendments in section 108 of the 2025 Act do not apply to acquisitions authorised before that section starts.
Who is affected and when: acquiring authorities and confirming authorities in England gain new CPO flexibilities from 18 February 2026; NSIP promoters should plan against a five‑year NPS review cycle; development corporations can rely on standardised objectives and powers from the same date; and developers operating within EDP areas may opt to meet defined environmental requirements via the levy route once plans are made. The Regulations were signed by Minister of State Matthew Pennycook on 18 December 2025.