Immigration analysis: The Nationality and Borders Act 2022 received Royal Assent on 28 April 2022. In addition to controversial provisions relating to deprivation of citizenship without notice and statelessness, the Act makes a wide range of more generous changes to British nationality law, including for the first time a general discretionary power to register adults as British citizens. The ambition is to deal conclusively with issues of historical legislative unfairness in British nationality law. In this analysis, Alexander Finch, solicitor and senior manager at Fragomen LLP, provides a comprehensive summary of the key changes in the Act relating to nationality law, and how they might pan out in practice.

Large scale developments in England relating to energy, transport, water, or waste which require development consent under the Planning Act 2008. National Policy Statements provide the framework within which the Secretary of State makes decisions on NSIP applications for development consent.

Planning analysis: On 23 February 2023, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) published its ‘Nationally Significant Infrastructure: action plan for reforms to the planning process’ (the Action Plan). The Action Plan contains detailed actions which the government intends to take to improve the effectiveness and resilience of the planning regime of nationally significant infrastructure. We summarise the key proposals.

Planning Act 2008 The Planning Act 2008 (PA 2008) created a separate development consent regime in England and Wales for nationally significant infrastructure projects (NSIPs) in the fields of energy, transport, water, waste water, and waste. This regime was introduced to streamline and make more certain the consenting process for infrastructure deemed to be of national importance. Development which is or forms part of an NSIP requires a development consent order (DCO) under PA 2008, as opposed to planning permission under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. PA 2008 defines an NSIP as one of a number of types of project listed in section 14. PA 2008, Pt 3 adds further qualifying criteria in respect of each type of project. If those criteria are met, a project constitutes an NSIP and, unless a direction is made disapplying the requirement for development consent under PA 2008, s 35B, the consenting procedure must follow that set out in PA 2008. The local planning authority for the area in which the development is located has

Nationally significant infrastructure project consent regime The Planning Act 2008 (PA 2008) sets out a development consent regime for nationally significant infrastructure projects (NSIPs) in the fields of energy, transport, water, waste water and waste. Projects exceeding prescribed thresholds must be authorised under PA 2008 regime. Qualifying projects require development consent under PA 2008. Applications for development consent are made directly to the Planning Inspectorate (PINS), acting on behalf of the Secretary of State, rather than to the local planning authority in the first instance. Development consent is granted by way of a single development consent order (DCO). See Practice Note: Permission for nationally significant infrastructure projects. Once a DCO application has been submitted, PA 2008 prescribes a fixed timetable for most stages of the application process through to determination. The pre-application stage is not subject to an equivalent fixed statutory timetable. It is intended to be used by applicants to develop the proposed application, identify and narrow the principal issues, engage proportionately with relevant stakeholders where appropriate, and prepare an application of a satisfactory

Law360, analysis: The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)'s fine of £44m imposed on Nationwide Building Society for failings in anti-money laundering (AML) controls has sent a warning to Britain's largest financial institutions that size and reputation are no protection from the rules, lawyers have said. The case has drawn commentary from several prominent law firms in the financial services sector, including Charles Russell Speechlys, Fladgate LLP, Gunnercooke LLP, Kennedys Law LLP, and Peters & Peters Solicitors, reflecting the significant attention this enforcement action has garnered within the legal community.

[means those species of trees that are native to the UK since the last ice age and listed as such on the Forestry Commission Website. OR means those species of trees which, since the last ice age, have grown in the geographic area now called the [insert, eg UK] and which are listed as native on the [insert, eg Forestry Commission Website]. OR means trees which are indigenous to [specify region or jurisdiction], naturally occurring, and not having been introduced directly or indirectly through the actions of humans.]

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Defined in CPR PD 31B para 5(8) as an electronic document stored in the original form in which it was created by a computer software program

The Government’s adviser on the natural environment, providing practical scientific advice on how to look after England's landscapes and wildlife. Natural England is an executive non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs. Within England Natural England is responsible for helping land managers and farmers protect wildlife and landscapes, advising on the protection of the marine environment in inshore waters (0 to 12 nautical miles), improving public access to the coastline, supporting National Trails and managing 140 National Nature Reserves, providing planning advice and wildlife licences through the planning system, managing programmes that help restore or recreate wildlife habitats, conserving and enhancing the landscape, and providing evidence to help make decisions affecting the natural environment.

The government's adviser for the natural environment in England has concluded three separate consultations regarding proposed restrictions to open access land in Cumbria. The consultations, which ran from 11 December 2024 to 8 January 2025, focused on North End Marsh and two areas of Walney airfield. Natural England has now published its decisions on these proposals. These restrictions may have implications for public access rights and land management in the affected areas, which could be of interest to environmental law practitioners and those advising on countryside access matters.

Natural England has launched a call for ideas funding opportunity under the Species Recovery Programme, inviting proposals for targeted action and research and development activities to support the recovery of threatened species. Eligible ideas must outline activities planned between summer 2026 and March 2029 and focus on species and actions listed in the Threatened Species Recovery Actions (TSRA) dataset. Eligible action types include climate change adaptation, ex situ conservation, habitat creation and management, pressure mitigation, reintroduction, scientific research and special (in situ) measures. Funding requests must range between £10,000 and £1.5m. Applications are open to formally constituted organisations or partnerships, including environmental groups, local authorities, academic institutions and specified Defra agencies, with all activities to be delivered in England. Ideas must be submitted by 2 November 2025, with shortlisted applicants invited to submit full funding applications within an eight-week period.