The overall improvement test
The UK Government Guidance "Summary: Planning and Infrastructure Bill, Government Amendments to Part 3 (Lords Committee Stage)" updated 19 September 2025 describes the overall improvement test:
"The overall improvement test is the existing test that the Secretary of State must consider to be passed before they can approve an Environmental Delivery Plan (EDP). The government has always been clear that it is one of the key environmental safeguards in the new system and, as such, it is vital that there is confidence in its operation.
"The amendment we are tabling clarifies this test. It removes any risk of ambiguity by making it clear that the Secretary of State can only approve an EDP where the effect of the conservation measures will materially outweigh the negative effect of development on the conservation status of each identified environmental feature. This provides further assurance for communities and developers that outcomes will be delivered, and that the actions taken under an EDP must lead to a material improvement for the relevant environmental feature."
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
- Biodiversity mitigation hierarchy.
- Biodiversity Net Gain BNG
- Biodiversity net gain (BNG) regulations and implementation; Government response.
- Biodiversity Net Gain: statutory must-haves, plus the delivery model that de-risks planning.
- Biodiversity net gain, tools, tips and terms for small sites.
- Biodiversity net gain and terminology explained.
- Conservation area.
- Designated sites.
- Ecological impact assessment.
- Ecological survey.
- Environment.
- Environmental engineering.
- Environmental Development Plans EDP.
- Environmental Delivery Plans EDP.
- Environmental impact assessment EIA.
- Environmental Improvement Plan EIP.
- Environmental Land Management Schemes ELMS.
- Environmental management procedures manual.
- Environmental modelling.
- Environmental net gain.
- Environmental Outcomes Report EOR.
- Environmental permit.
- Environmental plan.
- Environmental policy.
- Environmental Principles Policy Statement EPPS.
- Environmental statement.
- Ecological impact assessment.
- Green belt.
- Guidance on tree specification, BNG and more.
- How nature can be used to improve wellbeing.
- Local Nature Reserve.
- Local Nature Recovery Strategy LNRS.
- Mitigation hierarchy.
- National nature reserve.
- National Parks.
- National Planning Practice Guidance.
- Natural England.
- Nature Restoration Fund NRF.
- Nature Recovery Network NRN.
- NPPF consultation briefing notes on terms.
- Nutrient Neutrality NN.
- Outline planning permission.
- Planning and Infrastructure Bill PIB
- Planning legislation.
- Planning permission.
- Protected species.
- Resilience.
- Sustainability.
- Site of Nature Conservation Interest (SNCI).
- Sites of special scientific interest.
- What is the biodiversity metric?
- Wildlife corridor.
- Wildlife Trusts.
Featured articles and news
Cyber Security in the Built Environment
Protecting projects, data, and digital assets: A CIOB Academy TIS.
Managing competence in the built environment
ITFG publishes new industry guide on how to meet the ICC principles.
The UK's campaign to reduce noise pollution: Mythbusting, articles and topic guides.
Setting Expectations on Competence Management
Industry Competence Committee.
New Scottish and Welsh governments
CIOB stresses importance of construction after new parliament elections.
The sad story of Derby Hippodrome
An historic building left to decay.
ECA, JIB and JTL back Fabian Society call to invest in skills for a stronger built environment workforce.
Women's Contributions to the Built Environment.
Calls for the delayed Circular Economy Strategy
Over 50 leading businesses, trade associations and professional bodies, including CIAT, and UKGBC sign open letter.
The future workforce: culture change and skill
Under the spotlight at UK Construction Week London.
A landmark moment for postmodern heritage.
A safe energy transition – ECA launches a new Charter
Practical policy actions to speed up low carbon adoption while maintaining installation safety and competency.
Frank Duffy: Researcher and Practitioner
Reflections on achievements and relevance to the wider research and practice communities.
The 2026 Compliance Landscape: Fire doors
Why 'Business as Usual' is a Liability.
Cutting construction carbon footprint by caring for soil
Is construction neglecting one of the planet’s most powerful carbon stores and one of our greatest natural climate allies.
ARCHITECTURE: How's it progressing?
Archiblogger posing questions of a historical and contextual nature.