Government 'on-track to meet infrastructure target' after Reeves greenlights Gatwick expansion
Green-lighting major infrastructure projects will boost economic growth and create jobs, the Government has said after approving a second runway for Gatwick Airport.
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Approving the expansion of the airport near Crawley on Sunday brought the total of infrastructure projects approved by Sir Keir Starmer's Government to 24 in just over a year.
Among other schemes handed the green light since Labour came to power on July 5, 2024, are the Lower Thames Crossing, Mona offshore wind farm and Viking CCS pipeline.
Labour had promised to approve 150 major projects over a five-year Parliament - and is on track to do so.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) said the Government is "on track to meet this target" because of "pro-growth" planning reforms.
Read More: Reeves: Gatwick second runway shows Government ‘backing builders, not blockers’
The previous Conservative government approved 57 schemes between December 2019 and May 2024, according to the MHCLG.
Housing Secretary Steve Reed said: "We are backing our builders, brickies and businesses to get Britain building.
"We've already said yes to major projects that will create more well-paid jobs providing clean power and new roads.
"We will go further to streamline planning rules to speed up new homes, data centres and businesses that will put an affordable home and well-paid job within reach of people in every part of our country."
Shadow housing secretary Sir James Cleverly accused the Government of seeking to distract from a "horrific" record on building homes.
He said: "Labour are attempting to distract from their horrific house-building record so far by claiming credit for projects whose approval process began under the last Conservative government."
In their election-winning manifesto, Labour pledged to build 1.5 million homes during the Parliament.
Sir James added: "Whilst it remains to be seen whether their Planning Bill, which has not even come into force, will work in practice, Labour's record speaks for itself, with the lowest level of private housebuilding starts since 2009 in Labour-run London.
"In their wish to curry favour with Brussels, Labour have failed to repeal the legacy EU laws that are driving up costs of both small and large development."
Since their election, the Labour Government has approved the following projects:
1. Gate Burton energy park, Lincolnshire
2. Mallard Pass solar project, Lincolnshire and Rutland
3. Sunnica energy farm, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire
4. Cottam solar project, border between Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire
5. Bramford to Twinstead power line, Suffolk and Essex
6. Immingham eastern roll-on, roll-off terminal, Lincolnshire
7. Rivenhall integrated waste management facility and energy centre, Essex
8. Heckington Fen solar park, Lincolnshire
9. West Burton solar project, on the border between Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire
10. Immingham green energy terminal, Lincolnshire
11. North Lincolnshire green energy park
12. Lower Thames Crossing, linking Essex and Kent
13. Luton airport expansion
14. Rampion 2 offshore wind farm, off the coast of Sussex
15. Cambridge waste water treatment plant
16. Viking CCS pipeline, Lincolnshire
17. East Yorkshire solar farm
18. M5 Junction 10 improvement scheme, Gloucestershire
19. Oaklands Farm solar park, south Derbyshire
20. Mona offshore windfarm, in the east Irish Sea
21. Byers Gill solar farm, Co Durham
22. Morgan offshore wind project, in the Irish Sea
23. M60/M62/M66 Simister Island, Greater Manchester
24. Gatwick Airport second runway