Reeves targets faster planning with crackdown on judicial review delays

The government says it plans to crack down on “lengthy” judicial reviews in an effort to speed up progress on national level infrastructure projects.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves wants to make changes in the court system to reduce the amount of time spent deciding on objections to major schemes such as new roads, railway lines and reservoirs.

In a statement today, she said the government hoped to cut the amount of time it takes for a judicial review to move through the court system by around half a year – although no specific measures were outlined.

“The previous government sided with the blockers, who held our economy to ransom for too long, abusing the lengthy judicial review process to delay critical national infrastructure projects and holding back economic growth,” she said.

“Our planning reforms are set to benefit the economy by up to £7.5bn over the next ten years, so whether through reducing the length of the judicial review process, tearing up burdensome regulations, or streamlining planning permissions with AI, we want to go further still by backing the builders not the blockers and deliver national renewal by getting Britain building.”

Reeves cited a scheme of improvements for the A38 in Derby, which was granted development consent in 2021, but is not expected to get underway until next year at the earliest. A legal challenge to the proposals was thrown out in March.

The announcement comes on the back of an announcement by housing secretary Steve Reed this week, containing a number of proposed amendments to the Planning and Infrastructure Bill also aimed at speeding up the planning process.

The bill is due to return to the House of Lords later this year.

Meanwhile Reed backed the calls from the chancellor to speed up the judicial review process, adding that “frivolous” legal challenges to schemes were “gumming up the courts”.

“Serial objectors have held Britain’s future to ransom while families struggle to find affordable homes and businesses wait years for vital infrastructure,” he said.

“Just four out of 34 judicial reviews since 2008 were actually upheld. It’s clear the system is being abused by those who want to stop progress at any cost.”