Judicial blockers to building to be removed

The government has announced plans to work with the judiciary to cut the amount of time it takes for a judicial review to move through the court system for nationally critical infrastructure projects by around half a year.

Currently, judicial reviews can take over a year to resolve. Of the 34 infrastructure projects that faced judicial reviews since 2008, four were upheld.

Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, said: "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.

"Our planning reforms are set to benefit the economy by up to £7.5 billion 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."

Housing secretary, Steve Reed, said: "Serial objectors have held Britain’s future to ransom while families struggle to find affordable homes and businesses wait years for vital infrastructure. We can’t let frivolous legal challenges gum up the courts and grind our economy to a halt.

"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. We’re backing the builders, not the blockers, and getting Britain building again."