Government 'dithering' over major infrastructure decisions, report claims
Around half of all major infrastructure projects that were expecting a decision this year had it delayed by at least three months, the Centre for Policy Studies has found.
This includes planning permission for the carbon capture and storage pipeline in the Humber, which waited 35 days for approval beyond the statutory three-month period for ministerial sign-off.
Sir Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves have repeatedly said they want to cut red tape and speed up planning decisions to boost growth around the country.
However, the CPS says ministers are stifling major infrastructure projects through dithering and delay.
This indecision has added nearly four years of cumulative delay in 2025 alone, and the think tank says the Government is already falling behind its target of deciding on 150 projects by 2029.
The report found that of 27 major projects that were expecting a decision in 2025, 14 have been delayed beyond the statutory three-month period for ministerial sign-off.
Ben Hopkinson, head of housing and infrastructure at the CPS, said: “Labour promised to be the builders, not the blockers.
“Instead, ministers have presided over nearly four years of cumulative delay to major projects in 2025 alone.
“When half of all infrastructure decisions are delayed by ministerial dithering, you can't blame the planning system – you have to blame the people making the decisions.
“These delays have real consequences by slowing delivery, raising costs, and deterring investment.
“Unless the Government gets a grip, they're on track to miss their own infrastructure target by a third.”
The CPS admitted that legal challenges have compounded the problem, and the Government has announced plans to clamp down on judicial reviews.
Housing Secretary Steve Reed said the Government had green-lit the largest number of major infrastructure projects in the first year of a Parliament in history, with 21 planning decisions made in the government’s first year.
This included the Viking carbon capture and storage pipeline in the Humber, which was signed off in April.
Mr Reed said: “We are backing our builders, brickies and businesses to get Britain building.
“We’ve already said yes to major projects that will create more well-paid jobs providing clean power and new roads.
“We will go further to streamline planning rules to speed up new homes, data centres and businesses that will put an affordable home and well-paid job within reach of people in every part of our country.”
A spokesperson added: “We will build the homes and infrastructure this country needs and are on track to make 150 major infrastructure project decisions in this Parliament.
“Our Planning and Infrastructure Act will streamline the planning system and speed up decision making, and we are backing our builders, brickies and businesses to get Britain building.”