Update

R17Statutory timelines for environmental permitting
Risk
Government Response: Statutory permitting timelines rejected

The Taskforce recommended amending the Environmental Permitting Regulations to impose a statutory 42-day decision deadline with a single 56-day extension and appeal rights. The Government explicitly declined to legislate statutory timelines, arguing they "can lead to unintended outcomes." Instead, it is pursuing operational improvements including exempting low-risk activities from permitting, modernising the permitting process, a Priority Tracked Service for nuclear, a digital platform, and a Lead Environmental Regulator pilot. While these are welcome practical improvements, the absence of any hard statutory backstop means permitting delays lack a binding remedy, significantly weakening the original recommendation.

govt_response
Source: Policy PaperDESNZ, March 2026

Impact on Overall Status

Status changed to: Watered Down
Confidence changed to: medium
Government explicitly rejected statutory timelines. Operational improvements are positive but lack enforceable backstop.
Recommendation Context
Chapter: Chapter 7: Environmental Assessments & Permitting
Owner: DEFRA + 1 co-owner
Current Status: Watered Down
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Government Response: Statutory permitting timelines rejected | R17 | Nuclear Taskforce Tracker