The Conservative and Liberal Party Coalition has this morning published its programme for Government – which includes the scrapping of the Infrastructure Planning Commission and reforming the water industry to ensure more efficient use of water and the protection of poorer households.

The Coalition said it would “abolish the unelected Infrastructure Planning Commission and replace it with an efficient and democratically accountable system that provides a fast-track process for major infrastructure projects”.  It also plans to examine the conclusions of the Cave and Walker Reviews.

The Coalition will also publish and present to Parliament what is described as a simple and consolidated national planning framework covering all forms of development and setting out national economic, environmental and social priorities.

Other proposals contained in the programme include maintaining the Green Belt, Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) and other environmental protections, and the creation of a new designation – similar to SSSIs – to protect green areas of particular importance to local communities.

The Coalition is also planning to introduce measures to promote a huge increase in energy from waste through anaerobic digestion and to encourage marine energy. It will also establish a green investment bank, together with the creation of  green financial products to provide individuals with opportunities to invest in the infrastructure needed to support the new green economy.