This Statutory Instrument corrects a commencement date error in the prior Compulsory Purchase of Land (Prescribed Forms) (Ministers) (Amendment) Regulations 2026, replacing the incorrect date of '18th February 2025' with the correct operative date of '18th February 2026' for those principal regulations in England and Wales, exercising powers granted under the Acquisition of Land Act 1981.

This Statutory Instrument, made by the Secretary of State exercising powers under the Local Government Act 2000, revokes the Local Authorities (Changes to Years of Ordinary Elections) (England) Order 2026, which had previously postponed local government elections in 30 councils from May 2026 until May 2027, thereby mandating that those local elections now proceed in May 2026.

This document serves as an official correction notice for The Charities Act 2022 (Commencement No. 4 and Saving Provision) Regulations 2025, making three specific amendments: clarifying the wording relating to section 40, inserting a footnote reference for the 'Sir John Soane's Museum' entry in the Schedule, and introducing the content of that new footnote referencing the 1833 Act and its subsequent supersession.

The Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Mountain Ash) (Emergency) Regulations 2025 immediately restrict all aircraft from flying below 1,500 feet above mean sea level within a one nautical mile radius centered on Mountain Ash, as this prohibition is deemed necessary by the Secretary of State due to an emergency affecting the public interest in that area; these restrictions remain in force until the emergency subsides and permit exceptions only for aircraft operating under the direction of the South Wales Police.

The Helios Renewable Energy Project Order 2025 grants development consent under the Planning Act 2008 for the construction, operation, and decommissioning of a solar generating station and battery energy storage system in the North Yorkshire Council area, defining the scope of the authorised development, granting the undertaker powers for compulsory acquisition of land or rights, and establishing detailed preliminary provisions, street works, and specific protective requirements for various statutory undertakers including electricity, gas, water, drainage, and railway interests.

This Order enacts non-material changes to the Norfolk Vanguard Offshore Wind Farm Order 2022, effective from December 19th, 2025, following an application for amendment.

Key revisions include adding a definition for 'Defra,' clarifying the named 'undertaker' as Norfolk Vanguard West Limited, and significantly modifying Part 3 of Schedule 17, which relates to compensation for impacts on the Haisborough, Hammond and Winterton Special Area of Conservation (HHW SAC) by introducing the Marine Recovery Fund Payment as an alternative management measure to specific marine debris removal tasks.

These Regulations establish the commencement dates for various provisions within the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 and the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025, primarily setting 18th February 2026 as the start date for certain compulsory purchase order reforms and several aspects of Development Corporation powers, while bringing forward regulatory powers and provisions related to Environmental Delivery Plans (EDPs) immediately, alongside transitional measures to govern ongoing compulsory purchase procedures.

These Regulations amend the 2024 Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging and Packaging Waste) Regulations, effective from January 1st, 2026, across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, primarily by introducing new definitions for fibre-based composite materials, refining producer responsibility during corporate mergers and acquisitions, and establishing specific rules and charges for reporting 'closed loop packaging waste' derived from food-grade plastic.

Furthermore, the amendments adjust the scope of exemptions for charities, update various financial charges outlined in Schedule 1, and empower the scheme administrator to appoint Producer Responsibility Organisations (PROs) to assist in regulatory functions, alongside detailed transitional provisions for reporting historical data related to the new closed-loop category.