Planning overhaul to curb legal challenges

Campaigners will be blocked from "excessive" legal challenges to planning decisions for major infrastructure projects such as airports, railways and nuclear power stations as part of the government's drive for economic growth.

- Pippa Crerar Kiran Stacey

High court judges will be able to rule that judicial reviews on nationally significant projects that they regard as "totally without merit" - which can currently be brought to the courts three times - cannot go to appeal.

Keir Starmer said the change to the planning system would "take the brakes off Britain", sending a message to business to build more national infrastructure, as ministers desperately pursue opportunities to improve the economy.

"For too long, blockers have had the upper hand in legal challenges - using our court processes to frustrate growth. We're putting an end to this challenge" culture by taking on the nimbys and a broken system that has slowed down our progress as a nation," he said.

It is one of several measures being considered by the government as part of an all-encompassing dash for growth, which has caused alarm among environmental groups.

With GDP figures barely moving since the election, Rachel Reeves is looking at proposals from airport expansion to widespread deregulation in an effort to improve the UK's economic outlook.

Government sources told the Guardian the chancellor was "deeply unimpressed" with the pro-growth ideas presented by some of the country's biggest regulators when she met them last week, and has instructed them to improve their plans.