Since taking power, the Labour government has made clear its ambition to get Britain building, a key pillar of its “plan for change” to drive economic growth. Reforming the development consent order (DCO) process for nationally significant infrastructure projects (NSIPs) forms a large part of this ambition.

The current system has become a political football. At face value, long-running challenges to major infrastructure – whether air, rail or energy – have created agitation for reform. Since Labour has taken power, we have heard tough language on “blocking the blockers” and “fixing a broken system”.

Yet in reality, the government is taking a steady and practical approach to reform. For all its rhetoric, the changes set out in the Planning and Infrastructure Bill are far from revolutionary. Instead, they focus on streamlining the planning and approvals process for NSIPs within the existing regime.