Planning consultations scrapped for major energy NSIPs

An aerial of a solar farm with hundreds of solar panels on green fields — *Solar farms could happen sooner under the new reforms* (Image credit: Getty Images)

Solar farms, nuclear plants, reservoirs and train links will no longer be required to undergo planning consultations if deemed to be nationally significant.

Changes to the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 come into effect this month, scrapping the need for mandatory assessments for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs).

Ministers hope this will cut up to 12 months from the planning process and save the industry £1 billion in costs. But critics of the law change highlight that removing the need for surveys leaves local communities feeling disenfranchised and unable to have their voices heard.

What are the changes to planning legislation?

The statutory requirement for NSIPs to undergo mandatory pre-application consultations has been repealed from the Planning Act 2008 for NSIPs. Before its removal, the Act made sure developers talked to the local community about any proposals as well as having to publicise the plans. A preliminary Environmental Information Report (PEIR) was also necessary.

Elsewhere, the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 was changed to remove mandatory pre-application consultations for onshore wind projects.

The changes have been made through the introduction of the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025. This government has also promised to give developers technical support and "meaningful" advice from the Planning Inspectorate before applications are submitted.

The rules governing cost recovery for local authorities when dealing with NSIPs has also been changed to allow planning authorities to set their own fees.

Why did the government make the changes?

The government states the projects could create "over 82,000 jobs" as well as generating most clean energy to power millions of UK homes and businesses.

It also said it would speed up the decision-making process to help push through dozens of what it considers critical infrastructure projects to help grow the economy, and welcome a "new era of clean energy."

Housing Secretary Steve Reed said: "This government is determined to make the UK a world leader in building infrastructure. Our reforms will get work started quicker on wind farms, solar panels and transport links to connect our communities and grow our economy."

Meanwhile Energy Minister Michael Shanks added: "Britain cannot afford to wait years for the clean energy infrastructure needed to strengthen our energy security and grow the economy.

"Every turbine, every solar panel, every cable we connect helps protect families from volatile fossil fuel markets and paves the way for a new era of clean energy for our country."

Do environmental groups welcome the change to planning regs?

"Government initiatives to speed up decision-making for development projects, as the Planning and Infrastructure Act is designed to do, are to be welcomed but only if they lead to good development. Good development is well-designed development in the right place, with proper consideration and mitigation of environmental and community impacts," explains Sally Hayns of the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management.

"Early involvement of environmental consultants at the earliest stages of project design and the provision of pre-application advice can effectively manage project risks and unnecessary delays, but the legislation does not solve the problem of chronically under-resourced local planning authorities.

"Consequently, whilst this new approach may benefit a few high-profile infrastructure projects, it won't benefit the majority of homeowners and housebuilders who still face delayed decision-making, with the added risk of community resentment and frustration if they have not been able to express their concerns during the planning determination process."

Which projects will be affected?

The government says it has already made 41 decisions regarding major infrastructure, with major projects such as the Mona Offshore Wind Farm, Gate Burton Energy Park and the Lower Thames Crossing being pushed through.

It also claims, "over 80 prospective applicants have already benefited from early advice to help shape their proposed applications since the launch of the Inspectorate’s new pre-application service."

Large scale NSIPs that are still in the pre-application stages include Arrow Way Solar, Calderdale Energy Park, Fens Reservoir and the expansion of Heathrow Airport (third runway). A full list can be seen on the government's NSIPs website.

The government's current target is to exceed a target of 150 major infrastructure decisions this parliament (until July 2029), with these changes intended to help speed them up.

Amy spent over a decade in London editing and writing for The Daily Telegraph, MailOnline, and Metro.co.uk before moving to East Anglia where she began renovating a period property in rural Suffolk. During this time she also did some TV work at ITV Anglia and CBS as well as freelancing for Yahoo, AOL, ESPN and The Mirror. When the pandemic hit she switched to full-time building work on her renovation and spent nearly two years focusing solely on that. She's taken a hands-on DIY approach to the project, knocking down walls, restoring oak beams and laying slabs with the help of family members to save costs. She has largely focused on using natural materials, such as limestone, oak and sisal carpet, to put character back into the property that was largely removed during the eighties. The project has extended into the garden too, with the cottage's exterior completely re-landscaped with a digger and a new driveway added. She has dealt with de-listing a property as well as handling land disputes and conveyancing administration.