11 nationally significant infrastructure projects (NSIPS) are waiting for approval from relevant secretaries of state, and 93 others are in the planning system.
The 11 NSIPS awaiting ministerial approval includes the Aquind interconnector, National Grid’s Bramford to Twinstead transmission project, the Cambridge Waste Water Treatment Plant relocation, Hinkley National Rail Freight Interchange, Immingham Eastern Ro-Ro Terminal, London Luton Airport expansion and the Lower Thames Crossing.
The figures were shared yesterday 22 August by the Planning Inspectorate in its Planning Inspectorate Performance update – August 2024. The total figure – 104 – was unchanged.
In August, 71 were receiving advice from the Planning Inspectorate before submission of their development consent order (DCO) application, 20 projects had submitted their applications and were at acceptance, pre-examination, or examination sub-stage, 2 were awaiting recommendations from the Planning Inspectorate, and 11 were awaiting consideration by their relevant secretaries of state.
The only change with July 2024 was that 70 were at the first stage and 21 had submitted their applications.
Also in the July update, the Planning Inspectorate announced planning permission had been given to the 500MW Sunnica Energy Farm on the Suffolk-Cambridgeshire border, the 350MW Mallard Pass Solar Project in Lincolnshire and the 500MW Gate Burton Energy Park, also in Lincolnshire.
The solar farm approval decisions came less than two weeks after Labour was elected as the new government and promised to prioritise the national interest over local objections when considering development proposals such as those which help with the transition to net zero.
All the solar energy projects include solar photovoltaic panels, electrical storage equipment such as batteries, and transmission infrastructure to connect with the grid.
Wider planning reforms
The new Labour government said in the King’s Speech on 17 July 2024 that it intends to introduce a Planning and Infrastructure Bill during its term in office.
The government said the Bill would “play a key role in addressing [planning] constraint, unlocking more housing and infrastructure across the country and supporting sustained economic growth. The planning system must be an enabler of growth – enabling democratic engagement with how, not if, homes and infrastructure are built”.
It also said the Bill would “accelerate the delivery of major infrastructure projects in alignment with our industrial, energy, and transport strategies”.
Critically the government said the Bill would “accelerate housebuilding and infrastructure delivery” by “streamlining the delivery process for critical infrastructure including accelerating upgrades to the national grid and boosting renewable energy, which will benefit local communities, unlock delivery of our 2030 clean power mission and net zero obligations, and secure domestic energy security”.
Days later the deputy prime minister and secretary of state for housing, communities and local government Angela Rayner and secretary of state for environment, food and rural affairs Steve Reed sent a letter to environmental organisations. The letter attempted to start a conversation about how the government must balance the priorities of protecting the natural world while ramping up building.
Civil engineers welcome progress but ask for more funding
Association for Consultancy and Engineering and Environmental Industries Commission interim policy director Laura Wright said: “The new government is making inroads in speeding up the planning process and developing infrastructure strategy but this goes hand in glove with having the necessary funding in place for both NSIPs and local infrastructure projects.
“Our members would like to see a strong pipeline of NSIPs and local projects confirmed with agreed funding. It’s early days but our sector needs more certainty, so we will continue to monitor planning performance and proactively represent our members’ views.
“We will also be contributing to the consultation on the National Infrastructure Framework as well as the consultation on timelines of reporting.
“Our initial thoughts are that monthly reporting allows stakeholders to see where the gaps are but quarterly reporting shows where the trends lie. In an ideal world, both are useful but if it means resource is freed up to concentrate on other areas of important planning administration, quarterly reporting may be a better option.”
Legal expert says environment must be protected
Leigh Day environment team solicitor Julia Eriksen said: “Regardless of the speed at which nationally significant infrastructure projects are consented, their full environmental impact must be assessed, and any decisions made lawfully.”
Burges Salmon senior associate Matthew Tucker said: “Labour has committed to take ‘immediate action’ and ‘hit the ground running’ on housing and planning reforms.
“There is an inherent tension between the centralisation and imposition of “top-down” targets and supporting local planning authorities in the discharge of their functions, where the local focus of those functions intersects with the delivery of other policy expectations, including infrastructure and affordable housing.
“The government’s commitment to funding local authority capacity will be critically important to enabling authorities to deliver against what is required of them.
“The Green Belt has long been a constraint throughout the history of the planning system; tapping into the potential Labour sees in releasing ‘Grey Belt’, i.e. low-quality or neglected Green Belt land, will provide some additional flexibility in the use and development of that land, which will be welcomed by many developers and local authorities.
“However, the practical impact of the new designation will largely depend on how those terms are defined, and the ease or difficulty of the process of designation.”
The Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government was approached for comment.
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