DEFRA consults early to shape National Policy Statement

DEFRA is now publicly consulting until 22 December on its National Policy Statement (NPS) for Water Resources. The consultation has three parts:

• the three principles that the department will use to guide the detailed development of the NPS;

• proposals to change the types and sizes of new water supply infrastructure that are defined as "nationally significant" in the Planning Act 2008 and that the NPS will apply to; and

• the scoping reports that describe the approach planned for the Assessment of Sustainability and Habitats Regulations Assessments that accompany the NPS.

Responses will inform the development of the NPS and final proposals to amend the definitions in the Planning Act. DEFRA will consult on a full draft of the NPS in 2018. The draft NPS and the proposed amendments to the Planning Act 2008 will also be subject to scrutiny by Parliament.