Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to make fire and rescue services statutory consultees on all planning applications for battery energy storage facilities.

On 26 January 2025, government introduced a moratorium on new statutory consultees within the TCPA planning system. This announcement is available on gov.uk here (attached).

On 18 November 2025, my Department published a consultation on reforms to the TCPA statutory consultee system, which asked for views on a proposed criteria for new statutory consultees and if the government should review the moratorium periodically to ensure it remains appropriate. This consultation closed on 13 January 2026 and can be found on gov.uk here (attached). No decision will be taken forward until responses to the consultation have been fully analysed and considered.

Planning Practice Guidance on the planning application process for battery energy storage systems includes guidance on engagement and consultation with relevant fire and rescue services as part of that process.

This guidance is available on gov.uk here (attached).