Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects: Action Plan

Lee Rowley Excerpts

Thursday 23rd February 2023 Written Statements

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (Lee Rowley)]

Nationally significant infrastructure projects (NSIPs) spur growth, investment and regeneration throughout the country and are vital to achieving our levelling up ambitions. That is why I am pleased to publish a cross-Government action plan setting out reforms to the nationally significant infrastructure projects regime that will seek to streamline and speed up the consenting process.

The nationally significant infrastructure projects process, which operates predominantly in England and Wales, has served the UK well for more than a decade. However, the demands on the system are changing, and its speed has slowed. Government set out their ambition in the national infrastructure strategy in 2020 to make the infrastructure consenting process better, faster and greener and these ambitions were reinforced in the British energy security strategy. Our action plan is informed by extensive engagement with the sector which included a call for evidence on the operational review of the system that sought feedback from a wide range of stakeholders.

This action plan sets out the reforms that we will implement over the coming months to ensure the system can support our future infrastructure needs by;

Setting a clear strategic direction through national policy statements that are reviewed more regularly.

Bringing forward operational reforms that support a more streamlined consenting process and piloting a new fast track consenting opportunity.

Ensuring the system is better placed to meet our strategic environmental goals and actively address the environmental impacts of development.

Recognising the important role local authorities play in hosting and delivering new infrastructure as well strengthening community engagement in the process.

Improving system wide capacity and capability by moving to full cost recovery for key statutory consultees and the Planning Inspectorate.

I want to see real benefits to the consenting process being delivered as quickly as possible. Many of the measures set out in the action plan are already under way, and I want to see the benefit of the wider package of reforms come into effect as soon as possible. Following the publication of this action plan, the Department will consult on some the key aspects of our reforms in the spring and bring forward the key regulatory and guidance changes needed to deliver the reforms soon after.

A copy of the nationally significant infrastructure projects action plan will be deposited in the Library of both Houses.

[HCWS575]