Ministers announce faster approvals for nuclear and aviation fuel plants.

The government said the Environment Agency will act as lead environmental regulator to speed planning for the Sizewell C nuclear project and a Teesside sustainable aviation fuel plant, and said environmental checks will still be coordinated with other agencies.

The government announced a change to planning oversight that places the Environment Agency as the lead environmental regulator for Sizewell C and the Lighthouse Green Fuels project. Ministers said the move will provide a single point of contact as regulators carry out checks on potential impacts to nature. Defra said this approach will not water down environmental standards because the Environment Agency will coordinate the same assessments with other bodies. The announcement forms part of wider efforts to remove most fossil fuels from the UK’s electricity generation by 2030 and to speed the rollout of new energy infrastructure. Key details: - The Environment Agency will act as lead environmental regulator for the Sizewell C nuclear project on the Suffolk coast and for Lighthouse Green Fuels in Teesside. - Developers previously had to work with multiple regulators, including Natural England, the Marine Management Organisation and the Forestry Commission, which ministers said could add costs and delays. - Defra stated the change will not dilute green standards because the Environment Agency will coordinate assessments with the other regulators. - Ministers said Sizewell C could supply six million homes and reduce reliance on foreign fossil fuel imports. - If approved, Lighthouse Green Fuels would be Europe’s largest sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) plant, using sources such as agricultural and forestry residues, municipal solid waste and used cooking oils rather than food crops. - Ministers said they will implement some recommendations from the independent Fingleton review by the end of the year, including appointing a lead regulator; green groups said concerns and uncertainties remain about how the reforms could affect environmental protections. Summary: The change is intended to reduce bureaucracy and speed planning for two major energy projects while retaining existing environmental checks. Ministers plan to implement some Fingleton review recommendations by the end of the year, including appointing a lead regulator, and observers including green groups have noted remaining uncertainties about environmental impacts.