Major infrastructure projects such as nuclear power stations, railway lines, road expansions and wind farms will be built faster under new planning rules, the government has pledged.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said Nimby (Not in My Back Yard) “blockers” of major infrastructure projects will have fewer chances “to frustrate growth” through repeated legal challenges, according to the BBC.

Currently, infrastructure schemes can be challenged in the courts up to three times – ministers intend to reduce that to once in most cases.

Shadow levelling up secretary Kevin Hollinrake accused Labour of “taking forward Conservative initiatives” but warned their efforts would fail unless they stopped “blocking our attempts to cut EU legacy red tape”.

Opponents of schemes currently have three opportunities to secure permission for a judicial review of a major infrastructure project in England and Wales: writing to the High Court, attending an oral hearing and appealing to the Court of Appeal.

Under the government’s proposals, the written stage would be scrapped – meaning campaigners will have to convince a judge in person.

Additionally, any challenges deemed “totally without merit” by a High Court judge would be unable to go over their heads to the Court of Appeal.

Scotland has its own legal and Judicial Review system.

Ministers said overhauling the rules, via the upcoming Planning and Infrastructure Bill, would send a strong signal to global firms looking to do business – that the UK is a “great place to invest”.

Sir Keir said it was time to fix “a broken system that has slowed down our progress as a nation”.

“For too long, blockers have had the upper hand in legal challenges – using our court processes to frustrate growth,” he said.

“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.”

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