The cabinet approved in principle on Sept 1 a draft ministerial regulation adding six permitted forest land uses, bringing the total to 16. New categories include renewable energy, telecoms, infrastructure and waste management, with permits of up to 30 years for some. The Royal Forest Department says it will speed up more than 200,000 pending applications and delegate some approvals. If your business is planning a solar, telecom tower or waste project on land near forest, check whether the site qualifies, since protected areas and community forests are excluded. Projects without legal permission can struggle to get budget allocations.