Land Use Planning

Netherlands Advisory "Verkenning Natuurinclusief" Sets Strategy for Nature-Inclusive Working

The Dutch Parliament has published the advisory report Verkenning Natuurinclusief, outlining a cross-government strategy to embed nature-inclusive working and help the Netherlands meet EU biodiversity, climate and water restoration obligations. While non-binding, this framework is likely to shape the upcoming Dutch Nature Restoration Plan and future land-use, infrastructure and agricultural policies, signalling stronger integration of biodiversity and nature-based solutions into public investment, governance and regional planning.

15 May 2026, 17:47zoek.officielebekendmakingen.nlNetherlands

Vermont H.932: Regulation of Forestry Under Act 250

Vermont lawmakers are advancing H.932, which would narrow Act 250 land-use jurisdiction over forestry operations and low-elevation logging, with the Senate Finance Committee issuing a favourable report with proposed amendments in May 2026. If enacted, this would ease permitting burdens for many forestry and wood-products operations below 2,500 feet while keeping Act 250 oversight focused on land conversions for commercial development, so affected businesses should reassess Vermont land-use compliance strategies ahead of the planned 1 July 2026 effective date.

15 May 2026, 16:21legislature.vermont.govUnited States

Germany (Bavaria) Court Annuls Broiler Chicken Permit Over Feed and Land-Lease Forecasting

On 09 July 2024, the Administrative Court of Munich annulled the emission-control permit for a 124,600-place broiler installation in Bavaria, finding that the operator could not demonstrate a sufficiently secure, predominantly own feed and land base over the barns’ lifetime, including land tied up by an associated biogas plant and short-term leases. This significantly raises the bar for agricultural privileging of large poultry and other intensive livestock projects in Germany, signalling that weak land-lease structures or optimistic feed forecasts can expose permits to legal challenge, annulment, and the need for more robust municipal planning solutions.

15 May 2026, 14:42gesetze-bayern.deGermany

New Hampshire Prohibits Enrolling State and County-Owned Lands in Timber Carbon Sequestration Programs

New Hampshire has enacted HB 1205, effective July 2026, barring fee simple lands owned by the state or counties from being enrolled in timber carbon sequestration programs. This removes public forestlands from potential timber-based carbon removal projects in the state, narrowing supply options and pushing offset developers to focus on private and municipal landowners instead.

14 May 2026, 10:13gc.nh.govUnited States

EU Environment Directorate Publishes Indicative Guidance on Soil Sealing and No Net Land Take

On 5 May 2026 the European Commission’s Environment Directorate published non-binding indicative guidance on reducing soil sealing and supporting the EU objective of achieving no net land take by 2050, as part of its work to implement the EU Soil Strategy and the new Soil Monitoring and Resilience Law. While it creates no new legal obligations, the guidance signals Commission-supported approaches for authorities, landowners and developers to align land-use planning, permitting and project design with soil protection goals, which may influence future national implementation choices and investment strategies.

12 May 2026, 18:15op.europa.euEuropean Union

US BLM Final Rule Rescinds 2024 Conservation and Landscape Health Rule

The US Bureau of Land Management has issued a final rule, effective June 2026, rescinding its 2024 Conservation and Landscape Health Rule and reverting to the previous multiple-use planning framework for federal public lands. This reduces procedural burdens and removes the new restoration and mitigation leasing model, signalling a more permissive environment for energy, mining, grazing and other uses on BLM lands while keeping existing reclamation and land health obligations intact.

12 May 2026, 15:32federalregister.govUnited States

California AB 2517 on Fire Hazard Severity Zones Placed on Assembly Appropriations Suspense File

In May 2026, California Assembly Bill 2517, which amends Government Code provisions on local fire hazard severity zones, was placed on the Assembly Appropriations Committee suspense file with a hearing set for 14 May. If passed, it would formalise more transparent wildfire-risk mapping, public engagement and ordinance publication, influencing land-use planning, building decisions and risk management for assets in California’s high fire-hazard areas.

12 May 2026, 15:13leginfo.legislature.ca.govUnited States

Wales Adopts Planning (Consequential Provisions) (Wales) Act 2026

Wales has enacted the Planning (Consequential Provisions) (Wales) Act 2026, aligning dozens of existing UK and Welsh statutes with the new standalone Welsh planning and historic environment regime. This will progressively shift planning, highways, compensation and heritage-related obligations in Wales onto the dedicated Welsh framework as commencement and implementation orders are made, tightening the separation from the England-focused Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

12 May 2026, 15:09legislation.gov.ukUnited Kingdom

Pennsylvania HB2496 Proposes Municipal Pause on Data Center Developments

Pennsylvania lawmakers have introduced HB2496 to amend the Municipalities Planning Code, allowing local governments to impose up to a 180-day pause on new data center development applications under zoning ordinances. If enacted, the measure would let municipalities temporarily halt projects while updating siting rules, increasing permitting uncertainty and timeline risk for data center developers and large infrastructure planners in the state.

9 May 2026, 18:52palegis.usUnited States

Aranda de Duero Council Opens Consultation On Urban Plan Change For Glaxo Wellcome Site

Aranda de Duero has opened a one-month public consultation on the initial approval of a detailed urban plan modification for the Allendeduero industrial area promoted by Glaxo Wellcome, S.A. This is an early planning signal around Glaxo’s Aranda de Duero site that compliance teams may wish to monitor ahead of any separate environmental or industrial permitting steps.

9 May 2026, 14:28bocyl.jcyl.esSpain

Ontario Approves Public Lands Act Regulation Amendments for Permit-by-Rule Use of Low-Risk Equipment on Public Lands

Ontario has brought into force amendments to Public Lands Act regulations that create permit-by-rule pathways for specified low-risk equipment and investigations on public lands, replacing some written site-specific approvals with mandatory registration and new general conditions. For project developers and consultants using Crown land, this streamlines early-stage work for renewable energy and other projects while tightening expectations on site restoration, transparency via a public registration system, and continued compliance with wider environmental and species protection laws.

9 May 2026, 13:19ero.ontario.caCanada

Vermont House Passes S.325 on Act 250 Tier Jurisdiction and Regional Planning

In early May 2026, the Vermont House passed bill S.325 on regional planning and Act 250 tier jurisdiction, advancing a package of land-use and housing-related Act 250 reforms that extend interim exemptions and key implementation dates into 2028–2030. If enacted, these changes would prolong relaxed Act 250 permitting for certain housing and road projects and delay tighter Tier 3 protections, materially affecting site-selection, permitting risk and investment timing for developers and operators in Vermont.

8 May 2026, 18:58legislature.vermont.govUnited States

England And Wales Extend Biodiversity Gain Site Register To Development Consent Projects

The UK has adopted amendment regulations, effective 29 May 2026, that extend the biodiversity gain site register framework so off-site habitat enhancements used by nationally significant infrastructure projects with development consent can be registered and allocated alongside ordinary planning permissions. This broadens the operational reach of England’s biodiversity net gain regime, meaning NSIP promoters and land managers must align conservation covenants, legal templates and register applications with long-term (30+ year) habitat maintenance and allocation requirements for development consent projects.

8 May 2026, 18:00legislation.gov.ukUnited Kingdom

US Fish and Wildlife Service Initiates 5-Year ESA Reviews for 78 Species in Hawaii, Idaho, Oregon, and California

US Fish and Wildlife Service has opened 5-year Endangered Species Act status reviews for 78 listed species in Hawaii, Idaho, Oregon, and California, inviting new scientific and commercial information by 6 July 2026. These reviews may underpin future decisions on ESA listing status and recovery priorities, so organisations with operations or projects in the affected habitats should determine whether they hold relevant data to submit within this window.

8 May 2026, 08:57federalregister.govUnited States

UK Commences Environment Act 2021 Biodiversity Gain Provisions for National Infrastructure Projects

In May 2026 the UK brought into force Environment Act 2021 provisions on biodiversity gain for nationally significant infrastructure projects via the Commencement No. 11 Regulations. This ties future development consent decisions under the Planning Act 2008 to meeting biodiversity gain objectives, raising planning and design requirements for major infrastructure sponsors in England.

8 May 2026, 06:53legislation.gov.ukUnited Kingdom

UK Planning (Flooding) Bill Would Tighten Flood-Risk Rules for New Development

The UK Planning (Flooding) Bill is a Private Members’ Bill that would harden planning rules on flood risk, requiring statutory consultation of drainage boards, refusing permissions that increase flooding risk for existing buildings, and mandating new technical guidance and sanctions for non-compliant developers. If adopted, it could materially tighten planning and consenting conditions for industrial, infrastructure and commercial projects in flood-prone areas of England, making robust drainage standards and long-term maintenance critical for site approvals and future applications.

8 May 2026, 06:48publications.parliament.ukUnited Kingdom

California Senate Places SB 1258 Hazardous Waste Site Residential Suitability Bill on Appropriations Suspense File

In May 2026, the California Senate Appropriations Committee placed SB 1258—a bill to add Section 101481 to the Health and Safety Code establishing hazardous waste site remediation and residential suitability guidelines—on its suspense file after a unanimous 7–0 vote. If enacted, this measure would create statewide contaminant thresholds and remediation rules that could significantly influence brownfield redevelopment and housing approvals on contaminated land in California.

7 May 2026, 20:14leginfo.legislature.ca.govUnited States

European Commission Proposes Council Recommendation on Integrated Wildfire Risk Management

In May 2026 the European Commission tabled a proposal for an EU Council Recommendation to steer integrated wildfire risk management across Member States, covering prevention, preparedness, response, recovery, governance and international cooperation. If agreed, it will push national authorities to embed wildfire risk into land and forest management, spatial planning, emergency capacity and funding decisions, raising expectations for forestry, agriculture, construction and other operators in high‑risk regions.

7 May 2026, 19:39data.consilium.europa.euEuropean Union

Pennsylvania SB1287 Re-Reported as Committed (Municipalities Planning Code Water Supply Amendment)

Pennsylvania Senate Bill 1287, which would amend the Municipalities Planning Code to tighten water-supply requirements for subdivision and land-development approvals, has advanced after being re-reported as committed by the Senate Appropriations Committee on 4 May 2026. If enacted, municipalities and developers in Pennsylvania would need to secure and document commitments from qualifying public water suppliers before granting final approvals, potentially reshaping project feasibility, timelines, and infrastructure planning.

7 May 2026, 19:23palegis.usUnited States

Minnesota EQB Issues 28 April 2026 EQB Monitor With Environmental Review Notices and Deadlines

Minnesota’s Environmental Quality Board has issued its 28 April 2026 EQB Monitor, announcing new environmental review notices, permit decisions, and consultation deadlines for park, industrial, and large battery storage projects across the state. These updates signal key decision points and limited windows for stakeholders to influence project approvals and the Environmental Review Program’s rules, while clarifying where major developments are moving forward without further EIS requirements.

5 May 2026, 15:47content.govdelivery.comUnited States