Latest Legislation Updates

There were 43 amendments and new entries added to the Legislation Update Service in August. See below a selection of the latest legislation updates.

Updates from previous months

England & Wales: Technical changes are made to support the new system of spatial development strategies. They allow new rules to be made for examination of spatial development strategies and require marine plan authorities preparing a marine plan to notify neighbouring authorities.

England: From 1st October 2026, those operating permitted waste facilities in England are required to use the digital waste tracking system to record each load of household, industrial or commercial waste that they receive.
United Kingdom: The UK’s seventh carbon budget is set at 535 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent for the budgetary period from 2038 to 2042. This places a legal limit on the UK’s total net greenhouse gas emissions during that period and supports the UK’s net zero targets

England : From 29th May 2026, the scope of the register is expanded to allow land to be registered and biodiversity units to be allocated to Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs). Organisations may apply to be included in the register, in order to be allowed to use any off-site biodiversity gains for their NSIPs.

Republic of Ireland: References to rent pressure zones are removed to allow the exemption from planning permission for change of use to a short-term let for a principal private residence to apply nationwide. It is no longer dependent on the geographical designation of rent pressure zones

Global : The Forest Stewardship Council has updated the requirements for how certified organisations use the FSC labels and promotional claims. The changes are intended to make the rules clearer and to ensure that environmental claims are accurate.

 
Wales: Owners, managers and residents of ‘regulated buildings’ (buildings containing at least 2 residential units located in Wales, with exceptions listed in Schedule 1 including prisons, hospitals and care homes) must comply with prescribed fire and structural building safety requirements.
Great Britain: Assimilated Regulation 649/2021 is updated so that the same conditions apply for the import and export of all chemicals which required prior informed consent (PIC). The requirements to comply with additional conditions when importing specific chemicals or obtaining a special reference identification number for export declarations are removed.
United Kingdom: The benchmark value for lime used in the calculation of preliminary allocation of free allowances for incumbent installations in England for the 2027 scheme year is set to 0.798.
England: Hantavirus disease is added to the list of notifiable diseases meaning from 18th May 2026, registered medical practitioners must report suspected cases of Hantavirus. 
England : Details of hazard categories and how inspectors determine hazard categories are provided in The Housing Health and Safety Rating System (England) Regulations 2005 which is updated, amending the prescribed method for assessing the seriousness of hazards in housing.
Great Britain: From 21st May 2026, requirements under the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 are extended to include measures to assess and review ‘Ramsar sites’ (wetlands of international importance, designated under the Ramsar Convention).

United Kingdom: The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) may grant exemptions from all but the essential requirements in Chapter III without the need to meet pre-conditions. These exemptions may be subject to conditions set by the CAA. There are no changes to duties for organisations.

United Kingdom : The Energy Act 2013 sets out the legislative framework that the Government will make Regulations from in the coming years to ensure that the UK will generate enough secure, affordable and low-carbon energy to meet increasing demand. As well as cost and capacity issues, these forthcoming policies also consider the UK’s Climate Change Act 2008 commitments and legally-binding EU renewables targets. The Act introduces Contract for Difference, a key part of the Electricity Market Reform (EMR) programme.
Great Britain: The Automated Vehicles Act 2024 establishes the framework and principles for the Secretary of State to authorise the use of automated vehicles as road vehicles in Great Britain.

England : From 29th May 2026, the scope of the register is expanded to allow land to be registered and biodiversity units to be allocated to Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs). Organisations may apply to be included in the register, in order to be allowed to use any off-site biodiversity gains for their NSIPs.

Republic of Ireland: References to rent pressure zones are removed to allow the exemption from planning permission for change of use to a short-term let for a principal private residence to apply nationwide. It is no longer dependent on the geographical designation of rent pressure zones

England: The Environment Act 2021 aims to improve air and water quality, tackle waste, improve biodiversity and make other environmental improvements

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