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Infrastructure Planning and Judicial Review Reform
23 January 2025
Type
Written Ministerial Statement
Department
Ministry of Justice
At a Glance
Issue Summary
The statement addresses changes to the statutory judicial review process for infrastructure planning cases under the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) regime.
Action Requested
The Government is announcing reforms to streamline the judicial review process for NSIPs, including reducing legal challenges from three attempts to one, introducing mandatory case management conferences, and setting target timescales. The changes aim to reduce delays and costs while maintaining access to justice.
Key Facts
- 58% of decisions under the NSIP regime have been subject to legal challenge.
- Delays in infrastructure projects can cost up to £121 million per scheme due to legal proceedings.
- Lord Banner’s independent review into delays caused by legal challenges was published, and a call for evidence closed on December 30.
- The current paper permission stage will be scrapped, and applications for oral hearings will replace it.
- Non-mandatory case management conferences will be introduced for NSIP judicial reviews.
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