Log in or register
Share on LinkedInShare on LinkedIn

ARTICLE · 18 SEPTEMBER 2026

Infrastructure Planning Blog 67: Put Out More Flags

TLT
TLT
Contributor
TLT

TLT

Business advisors as well as lawyers, TLT works in step with its clients to protect their interests...

View firm profile
Explore more from TLT

The Chancellor has issued a striking letter to ministers addressing consultation culture, legal risk, and judicial review in infrastructure planning. This entry examines the implications for DCO regimes, explores cost recovery concerns, reviews Scottish wind farm EIA requirements following the Raeshaw Farms judgment, and analyzes Irish planning reforms alongside a recent English housing refusal involving industrial pollution.

United KingdomReal Estate and Construction
Mustafa Latif-Aramesh
Mustafa Latif-Aramesh

Today's entry looks at the Chancellor's Letter to his ministerial friends, Irish reforms, a Scottish wind decision, an English appeal decision and provides some musings on cost recovery for the DCO regime.

Scoop

The Chancellor has written to all Ministers in striking terms. The letter covers three matters: consultation, judicial review, and legal risk. All have potential implications for those advising in the public sector context.

First, on consultation, the Chancellor – presumably singing along to I Don’t Want to Wait by Paula Cole – says "Consultation culture has turned a sensible mechanism for sourcing external input into an industry of dither and delay" and that "Habitual, box-ticking consultation does not serve people or business and is a distraction to government." Strong words. He says that "we will end this trend by reasserting that there is no general duty of consultation, and that the default position should be that ministers reach decisions and proceed to act on

We operate a free-to-view policy, asking only that you register in order to read all of our content. Please login or register to view the rest of this article.

Register for freeORLog in

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.

View source

Related Articles

Legal Intelligence Newsletters: sign up for the latest legal and regulatory news on your chosen topics

Read more about

Related Comparative Guides

See more popular content from

Article

Renters’ Rights Act Update: Key Developments For Landlords

The UK Government has unveiled the next phase of the Renters' Rights Act 2025, introducing a mandatory private rented sector database launching December 2026 and transferring rent increase dispute resolution from tribunals to the Valuation Office Agency. These reforms will fundamentally reshape compliance obligations for landlords across England, requiring registration of all rental properties with annual fees and updated enforcement mechanisms.
GlobalReal Estate and Construction
Bates Wells
Bates Wells
Article

Selling A Tenanted Property: How Ground 1A Works Under The Renters’ Rights Act

Section 21 has been abolished for new possession action from 1 May 2026, but landlords who need to sell with vacant possession still have a route. Ground 1A of the amended Housing Act 1988 allows a landlord to recover possession where a genuine sale is intended, but it comes with a four-month notice period, restrictions on reletting and remarketing, and potentially significant penalties for misuse.
United KingdomReal Estate and Construction
Barnes Law
Barnes Law
Article

The Proposed Heathrow Third Runway: What Residents Need To Know About Property Impacts, Compensation And Reform

The prospect of a third runway at Heathrow Airport has resurfaced, bringing uncertainty to communities across West London and the Thames Valley about homes, property values and future planning. This guide examines how the compensation framework operates for affected homeowners, identifies critical gaps in protection during the years between policy approval and construction, and explains why reform is needed to address the human and financial costs of prolonged infrastructure uncertainty.
United KingdomReal Estate and Construction
Hugh James
Hugh James
Article

The Renters' Rights Act Private Rented Sector Database Is On The Way: What Landlords Need To Know

The UK Government has announced the second phase of the Renters' Rights Act, introducing a mandatory Private Rented Sector Database that will roll out region-by-region starting in the West Midlands in December 2026. Landlords across England will face registration requirements, annual fees of £65 per property, and potential penalties of up to £40,000 for non-compliance, fundamentally changing how the private rental sector operates.
United KingdomReal Estate and Construction
Blacks
Blacks
Article

Renters' Rights Act 2025: What The Latest Government Announcement Means For You

The Renters' Rights Act 2025 introduces sweeping changes to the UK rental market, including a mandatory national property registration system and a new process for handling rent disputes. Landlords face strict deadlines and significant penalties for non-compliance, while the government promises faster resolution of tenant challenges to rent increases.
United KingdomReal Estate and Construction
Womble Bond Dickinson (UK) LLP
Womble Bond Dickinson (UK) LLP
Article

The PRS Database Is Coming: What Landlords And Investors Need To Know

The UK Government has confirmed the operational framework for its new national rental property registration service, requiring landlords to register eligible private rented sector properties across England from December 2026. With registration costs of £65 per property annually and strict compliance deadlines varying by region, institutional investors and portfolio operators face significant data management and governance challenges. The rollout introduces ongoing reporting obligations that extend far
United KingdomReal Estate and Construction
Gowling WLG
Gowling WLG
Article

From Replacement To Repair: What The EU Right To Repair Directive Means For Businesses

The EU's Right to Repair Directive, which entered into force on 31 July 2026, introduces comprehensive measures to encourage product repair and extend consumer goods' lifespan as part of the bloc's circular economy strategy. Alongside the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation and the Green Transition Directive, these reforms impose new obligations on manufacturers, importers, and distributors to make products more durable and repairable while providing enhanced consumer information about repair opti
European UnionConsumer Protection
TLT
TLT
Article

The EU's Empowering Consumers For The Green Transition Directive: What Your Business Needs To Do Before September 2026

The EU's Green Transition Directive introduces sweeping new rules on greenwashing, sustainability claims, and product durability that will impact all businesses selling to EU consumers from September 2026. With banned practices, mandatory pre-contractual disclosures, and new labelling requirements, companies must act now to audit their environmental claims and ensure compliance across both physical and digital channels.
European UnionConsumer Protection
TLT
TLT
Article

EU KIDS Act: Europe's Plan To Strengthen Child Online Safety

The European Commission has proposed the EU KIDS Act, a comprehensive regulatory framework establishing a minimum age of 15 for social media access and mandating safety-by-design principles for digital services accessible to minors. This analysis explores how the Act's four pillars compare with the UK's Online Safety Act, examines its relationship with existing EU digital regulations including the DSA and upcoming Digital Fairness Act, and outlines the practical compliance implications for platforms operati
European UnionMedia, Telecoms, IT, Entertainment
TLT
TLT
Article

October 2026 Harassment Reforms: Why Employers Need To Move From Compliance To Evidence

From October 2026, UK employers face significantly strengthened duties to prevent workplace harassment, requiring them to take 'all reasonable steps' rather than merely 'reasonable steps' to prevent sexual harassment, while also introducing a new obligation to protect employees from third-party harassment across multiple protected characteristics. Organizations must now demonstrate not just compliance through policies and training, but active risk identification, preventative action, and ongoing review̵
United KingdomEmployment and HR
TLT
TLT
Article

Cohabitation Reform Will The Law Finally Catch Up With Modern Families?

The law on cohabitation has struggled to keep pace with changing family structures, leaving unmarried couples with far fewer rights than married partners. With the government's proposed reforms potentially bringing the biggest change to cohabitants' rights in a generation, understanding the current legal position, the consultation proposals, and how other jurisdictions approach this issue has never been more important.
United KingdomFamily and Matrimonial
TLT
TLT
Article

HMRC’s Proposed New Duty To Correct And The Rise Of Tax Governance: What Employers Need To Know

HMRC has proposed new legislation requiring taxpayers to correct known inaccuracies in tax returns, with failures to act being treated as deliberate behaviour attracting higher penalties and extended assessment periods. The draft legislation introduces a statutory duty to correct errors once identified and grants HMRC power to issue Customer Correction Notices, fundamentally shifting tax compliance from a technical exercise to a governance obligation that boards must actively oversee.
United KingdomTax
TLT
TLT
Article

Export Control Enforcement: Lessons From The Airbus Settlement

Airbus Operations Limited has paid over £6.4 million to HMRC in the highest compound settlement ever reached for strategic export control offences in the UK. The breaches, which AOL self-reported, involved failures to maintain proper records of controlled technology exports and transfers over a sustained period, highlighting the critical importance of robust export control compliance procedures for organizations operating internationally.
United KingdomGovernment, Public Sector
TLT
TLT