The Government has published a statutory instrument intended to ensure that the environmental impact and strategic environmental assessment regimes continue to operate after the UK leaves the European Union.
These instruments make no substantive changes of policy, but when the UK leaves the European Union, these instruments will ensure the continued smooth operation of the regimes relating to the environment and the planning system: the Environmental Impact Assessment, the Strategic Environmental Assessment and Hazardous Substances Regulations.
The accompanying explanatory memorandum confirms that the instrument makes the necessary changes to ensure that the law continues to function correctly, without substantive changes.
The Government has advised that provisions within the instrument that update references to other legislation will come into force on 31 December 2018, with the remainder coming into force at the point the UK leaves the European Union on 29 March 2019.
This issue was highlighted in the Heritage Alliance’s Brexit and Heritage Briefing.