Jurisdiction(s):
United Kingdom

Environmental Delivery Plans and the Nature Restoration Levy in England under the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025: scope, levy, overall improvement test, risks and due diligence for planning lawyers

Published by a LexisNexis Planning expert

Practice notes

This Practice Note explains the operation of environmental delivery plans (EDPs) and the new nature levies established by Part 3 of the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 (PIA 2025) for schemes in England, and includes practical guidance alongside an EDP due diligence checklist for developers.

Speed read

Part 3 of PIA 2025 reshapes environmental delivery within the planning system, moving emphasis from site‑specific mitigation towards more strategic programmes implemented through EDPs and a national levy across England.

Lawyers must identify precisely where and how EDPs apply in particular proposals;
advise developers on calculating levy liabilities and wider compliance costs with accuracy; and
ensure ongoing adherence to environmental duties falling outside the EDP scope remains robust.

Where participation in levies is optional, developers should preserve flexibility so costs, planning outcomes and reputational exposure can be controlled effectively.

PIA 2025, Pt 3 is not yet operative and will commence via regulations expected in Summer 2026; levy regulations are also anticipated in Summer 2026. Although the government plans to release the first EDPs in Summer 2026, probable implementation bottlenecks mean timetables could still slip...

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Web page updated on 21/05/2026

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