Government orders review to boost certainty in major infrastructure planning

The government has asked the National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) to review the current approach to National Policy Statements (NPSs) and identify how the planning system could create greater certainty for infrastructure investors, developers and local communities.

The current planning framework for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) was introduced in the Planning Act 2008, with the Planning Inspectorate now responsible for the administration of NSIP applications on behalf of the secretary of state, who makes the final decision on whether to grant or refuse the application.

The government document noted that the regime initially helped speed up consenting, but that “the system has slowed in recent years, with the timespan for granting DCOs increasing by 65% between 2012 and 2021. For example, offshore wind projects have been seen to take up to four years to get through the DCO process.”

The Treasury has asked the NIC for recommendations on:

• actions the government could take to ensure NPSs are reviewed more regularly than the current five yearly timetable, and how the process could be improved, including drawing on the experience of those departments who are currently carrying out NPS reviews;

• whether the current format of the NPS framework remains suitable and effective in providing the necessary planning policy framework for making timely decisions on applications for Development Consent; and

• any additional recommendations the NIC considers would help strengthen and improve the policy framework for NSIPs.

In making its recommendations, the government requested the commission to:

• focus primarily on the NSIP regime and major infrastructure projects which are covered by NPSs;

• set out recommended priorities for government on infrastructure planning both in the shorter term (over the next 18 months) and in the longer term (over the next five years), building on existing government plans for reform in this area; and

• take into account the work that has already been done by government to understand the causes of delay in the system as well as the cross government Action Plan for NSIPs that will be published shortly.

The commission will begin work immediately on the study, with a final report due to be published in the spring.

The government is currently updating a number of NPSs, including in relation to energy and national networks and bringing forward a new Water Resources NPS.