8 April 2025The government has announced its intention to introduce two new fast track systems by which government departments and agencies can apply for development for planning permission on Crown land (which includes land in which the Crown, government or Duchies of Lancaster or Cornwall have an interest) in England.
The first route, referred to as the Crown development route, will allow planning applications for Crown developments that are considered of ‘national importance’ to be submitted to the Planning Inspectorate directly instead of local planning authorities.
The process would still consider applications according to their ‘planning merits’, with the views of communities and authorities still ‘taken into account’.
The second route will enable applications for nationally important development on Crown land that is needed to be determined urgently by the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government under a simplified procedure.
Local authorities would also be consulted on the planning merits of the proposal during the second ‘urgent Crown development’ route; consultation with communities would be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
Nationally important is described as:
- Involves the interests of national security or of foreign governments
- Contributes towards the provision of national public services or infrastructure, such as new prisons, defence, or border infrastructure
- Supports a response to international, national, or regional civil emergencies
- Or otherwise, has significant economic, social, or environmental effects and strong public interest at a regional or national level
The government hopes that the new routes will come into effect in May 2025.
