Rachel Reeves is poised to wield the axe against environmental safeguards that obstruct infrastructure schemes in an effort to bolster Labour's construction commitments.
The Chancellor is weighing up reforms to stop nature considerations from hampering fresh developments as she frantically seeks to turbocharge her growth strategy, as reported by .
Labour's Planning and Infrastructure bill is currently at committee stage in the House of Lords, but the Treasury is reportedly already preparing for another bill to dismantle sections of European environmental regulations.
Reeves has instructed officials to examine more controversial reforms, according to The Times, following exasperation that the interests of "bats and newts" were throttling infrastructure aspirations.
The Chancellor is contemplating permitting just one chance to mount any challenge, whilst some MPs and peers have urged her to advance further by employing parliamentary acts to block legal challenges to specific named schemes.
During a hearing at the House of Lords' economic affairs committee last month, Reeves restated ambitions to accelerate the government's planning bill. She informed peers: "I care more about the young family getting on the housing ladder than I do about protecting some snails."
Reeves to trigger more internal backlash
Treasury moves to demolish environmental protections would likely provoke additional backlash from rebel Labour MPs. The government has already encountered strong criticism from its own backbenchers over its stance on the winter fuel payment, two-child benefit cap and proposed welfare reforms.
Nevertheless, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has expressed similar exasperation to the Chancellor regarding stalled projects. Starmer vowed at the beginning of the year to bypass "the whims of nimbys" by restricting legal challenges against major schemes.
While no decisions have been finalised concerning fresh legislation, Treasury insiders believe there is an increasing necessity to take more robust action, according to The Times.
The Labour planning bill currently progressing through Parliament seeks to promote new development via a "nature restoration fund" whereby developers will receive approval to advance their projects by establishing compensatory schemes elsewhere to counterbalance their environmental impact.
