The King’s Speech delivered on 13 May 2026 marks the opening of a new parliamentary session and sets out a substantial legislative programme, comprising over 30 bills across economic reform, infrastructure, housing and public services. While notably absent is any mention of a specific “Planning Bill”, the programme is firmly focused on economic growth, with planning reform operating as a theme embedded within wider infrastructure, housing and regulatory measures.
A defining feature of the government’s agenda is the prioritisation of nationally significant infrastructure. The Speech confirms legislative support for major transport schemes, alongside continued investment in rail infrastructure and airport expansion. This reflects a clear intention to accelerate development delivery. From a planning perspective, this is likely to translate into sustained demand for Development Consent Order (DCO) work and associated agreements, as well as increasing pressure on decision-making timescales.
The legislative programme is also underpinned by a broader commitment to regulatory reform. The proposed Regulating for Growth Bill aims to reduce administrative burdens and create a more investment-friendly environment. Although not a planning measure in itself, it reinforces the government’s pro-development stance and signals potential further changes to streamline planning and consenting processes.
Housing reform remains central to the programme, with several bills carrying indirect but significant implications for planning. These are likely to affect scheme viability, delivery structures and the allocation of risk, particularly in the residential sector.
Construction Industry Bodies Response
Industry response to the Speech broadly reflects cautious support for this direction of travel. Key bodies including the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and the UK Green Building Council (UKGBC) have welcomed the continued prominence of infrastructure delivery, building safety and housing reform within the government’s growth agenda. They emphasise, however, that successful implementation will depend on sustained collaboration between government and industry and greater long-term policy certainty.
The Federation of Master Builders (FMB) has adopted a more critical position, highlighting the absence of targeted support for small and medium-sized builders. It notes that small and medium-sized enterprises (SME’s) continue to face significant challenges, including rising material and labour costs, skills shortages and increased regulatory pressures. The FMB warns that, without further intervention, these constraints may undermine the delivery of new housing and energy efficiency improvements.
Taken together, the King’s Speech signals an infrastructure-led, pro-growth legislative programme in which planning reform is incremental rather than systemic. For practitioners, this suggests that change will continue to be delivered through sector-specific legislation and policy evolution, rather than through a comprehensive overhaul of the planning system. The emphasis on delivery at pace, particularly for infrastructure and housing, will remain the central theme for the coming parliamentary term.