The measures, announced by environment minister Emma Hardy, will remove delays for builders and speed up the construction of new homes and infrastructure in England.
The Environment Agency will be given the power to consider which activities will be exempt from needing an environmental permit to speed up the process. At the moment, activities that are needed during the early stages of construction – such as site investigations, the storage of waste materials and drain operations – need environmental permits before they start, despite only having a minimal risk.
The government said these delayed new developments from the start.
These measures could save builders up to 16 weeks of waiting instead of being held by permit approvals.
Some low-risk temporary activities undertaken by individuals and SMEs will no longer need a permit as long as certain conditions are met. This is expected to save £360 based on the average permit cost.
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Legislation will be brought forward when parliamentary time allows, and the government said this will help it reach its goal of building one-and-a-half million new homes.
Hardy said: “We are committed to ensuring that environmental regulation works for everyone – protecting our towns and countryside from harm and delivering sustainable development.
“As part of the Plan for Change, a common-sense approach to environmental permitting in England will boost economic growth and unleash an era of building, while also keeping people and the environment safe.
“As the regulatory agency for environmental permitting, the Environment Agency will be responsible for determining the use of these exemptions in a targeted manner to support construction projects in England.”
Jo Nettleton, the Environment Agency’s chief regulator, added: “Protecting the environment and sustainable development can and must go hand in hand. We welcome the government’s efforts to drive economic growth through a more proportionate permitting regime.
“We have engaged closely with the consultation on reforms to environmental permitting, and look forward to continuing our work as a fair and proportionate regulator for people and the environment while supporting business and sustainable economic growth.”
