Largest number of major infrastructure projects green-lit in UK history

The UK government has approved the largest number of major infrastructure projects in history over a single year, marking a milestone in Britain’s efforts to accelerate growth, improve connectivity, and transition to clean energy. With 21 major infrastructure projects green-lit in the first year of this Parliament, the push to “build, baby, build” is reshaping the national economic and construction landscape.

This unprecedented level of approval includes significant transport, energy, and airport projects—such as the Lower Thames Crossing, the Mona and Rampion 2 offshore wind farms, and the Gatwick Airport northern runway expansion. Together, these decisions highlight the government’s determination to speed up infrastructure delivery under the Planning and Infrastructure Bill 2025 and create the conditions for investment, skills development, and digital transformation in the construction sector.

A year for infrastructure approvals

The record 21 planning approvals far surpass the previous government’s first-year figure of 15, signalling a sharp change of pace. With a target of 150 planning decisions on major infrastructure projects as part of the government’s Plan for Change, this early progress is laying the groundwork for sustained economic growth.

Key projects approved include:

Lower Thames Crossing – a transformational road scheme linking the south-east, Midlands and north, designed to cut congestion, create 22,000 jobs, and generate £200 million annually through improved trade and travel connections.
Mona Offshore Wind Farm (Irish Sea) and Rampion 2 Offshore Wind Farm (Sussex coast) – together set to power nearly 3 million homes with clean energy and secure 2.7 GW of generation capacity.
Viking CCS Pipeline (Lincolnshire) – supporting up to 20,000 jobs while advancing the UK’s decarbonisation and industrial transition in the Humber region.
M60/M62/M66 Simister Island Interchange – enhancing journeys for more than 90,000 commuters each day in Greater Manchester.
Gatwick Airport Northern Runway Expansion – recently approved by the Transport Secretary, enabling growth in air travel capacity and supporting jobs across the aviation and construction supply chain.

These approvals signal not just isolated wins, but a systemic shift towards building future-ready infrastructure at scale and speed.

The role of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill

Central to this surge is the Planning and Infrastructure Bill 2025, which is streamlining a consenting process long seen as a barrier to delivery. Key reforms include:

Removing onerous statutory pre-application requirements.
Reducing meritless legal challenges from three to one.
Accelerating approvals for strategic projects in clean energy, transport, and housing.

This framework is designed to unlock faster planning decisions for nationally significant infrastructure projects, ensuring the UK is globally competitive as a destination for investment.

Driving growth, jobs, and energy security

The government argues that these projects will deliver tangible benefits for communities and businesses alike:

Tens of thousands of skilled jobs in construction, clean energy, and engineering.
Improved daily commutes through road and rail upgrades.
Cheaper and more reliable energy via offshore wind and CCS pipelines, reducing exposure to fossil fuel price shocks.
Greater air travel capacity, opening opportunities for tourism and trade.

Housing Secretary Steve Reed emphasised the government’s commitment to backing “builders, brickies and businesses” while cutting red tape. His comments underlined ambitions not just for infrastructure, but for new homes, digital construction facilities such as gigafactories, and commercial hubs across the country.

Gatwick Airport expansion: a case study

Among the most high-profile approvals is the Gatwick Airport northern runway expansion, a development that has drawn close attention from both industry and the public. Approved following ministerial review, the project will enable routine dual-runway operations, expanding capacity without the need for a new runway.

For the construction and engineering sectors, the project represents a significant opportunity for digital construction methods to drive efficiency, sustainability, and minimised disruption. It also demonstrates how air transport infrastructure projects are balancing economic growth with environmental concerns.

Offshore wind and clean energy: scaling at pace

The approvals of Mona and Rampion 2 are a critical step towards meeting the UK’s net zero targets. Offshore wind is already the backbone of the country’s clean energy mix, and these projects alone will:

Power nearly 3 million homes.
Deliver 2.7 GW of renewable capacity.
Secure thousands of long-term skilled jobs in coastal communities.

This underscores the role of digital design, modular construction, and advanced engineering in scaling offshore energy infrastructure, from turbine foundations to grid connections.

Digital construction and infrastructure delivery

The scale and speed of these projects mean that digital construction technologies—from Building Information Modelling (BIM) and digital twins to AI-driven project management platforms—will be crucial in ensuring delivery on time and within budget.

Digital tools are expected to support:

Enhanced collaboration across multidisciplinary teams.
Scenario planning to optimise design and minimise environmental impact.
Data-driven decision-making to manage supply chain risks.
Lifecycle sustainability tracking, ensuring infrastructure meets long-term performance standards.

By embedding digital construction at the heart of project delivery, the UK construction sector can meet both the government’s targets and industry’s commitment to efficiency, sustainability, and resilience.

Building skills and communities

Industry leaders have welcomed the approvals, while stressing the importance of long-term skills development. Julia Pyke, joint Managing Director at Sizewell C, commented:

“The government’s decision to approve a record number of major infrastructure projects shows the scale of opportunity to deliver jobs and growth across the UK. However, the most effective infrastructure projects go further by creating skills, providing education and opportunities, and protecting the environment. At Sizewell C, we’re building tens of thousands of well-paid jobs both locally and nationally through our supply chain, training a new generation of engineers and delivering the clean, secure power Britain needs for decades to come. This wave of infrastructure proves Britain can build at scale while leaving a lasting legacy for communities.”

Britain on the move

The approval of a record 21 major infrastructure projects in just one year represents a turning point for UK construction, infrastructure, and energy policy. With the Planning and Infrastructure Bill driving faster decision-making, and digital construction at the core of delivery, Britain could be entering a new era of accelerated infrastructure development.

From the Gatwick Airport expansion to offshore wind farms and national road upgrades, these projects are set to reshape the UK economy, create jobs, and strengthen resilience. As the government pushes towards its 150-decision target, the role of construction, engineering, and digital innovation will be pivotal in ensuring that Britain not only builds at scale, but builds smarter.

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