Infrastructure Planning

Planning and the Localism Act

Introduction  

There is much of the Government’s proposals for further planning reform as set out the Localism Act which we support including:  

  • The return of decision-making for major energy infrastructure projects to the DECC Secretary of State.  

  • The re-consultation on, and enhanced Parliamentary scrutiny of National Policy Statements, which will further strengthen the content and increase their legitimacy.  

  • The development of a National Planning Policy Framework.  

  • The radical rationalisation of Planning Policy Statements providing useful information for developers is not removed.  

Key Issues 

Localism

We support the benefits of Government’s focus on localism, and giving communities a much greater say on how their areas develop. Energy developers actively engage with affected communities on proposed energy developments. Indeed they already use pre-application, and welcome the Government’s proposals to introduce proportionate statutory pre-application consultation for major infrastructure projects under the Town and Country Planning Act regime.

Incentivisation of Local Authorities

It is important that local authorities are incentivised to support the development of sustainable energy projects and the energy networks needed to carry energy to where the demand is particularly in a post Regional Spatial Strategy world, with the consequent removal of the regional renewables targets.  

Return of decision-making to the Secretary of State  

We welcome the return of decision-making on nationally significant energy projects to the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change and the establishment of the Major Infrastructure Planning Unit (MIPU) which will bring together key personnel from the Planning Inspectorate and the Infrastructure Planning Unit (IPC) which is to be abolished.

Network projects and the Planning Act 2008

ENA fully supports the principles of the Planning Act 2008. We actively campaigned for it during its passage through Parliament. Following ENA discussion with DECC and DCLG during the passage of the Bill it was agreed that all electricity network projects below 132kV should be retained for consent under s.37 Electricity Act 1989 process. However experience to date shows that 132kV Overhead Line projects should also not be Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) as they are not of national importance or indeed associated with another NSIP (e.g. power station) in its own right. 132kV projects can have a more local context which contrasts with the national significance of other developments falling under the Planning Act 2008. This is particularly the case with smaller 132kV projects such as new customer connections or very minor diversions of existing network which fall outside the permitted development exemptions. The new process is clearly disproportionate in these instances.

ENA members would like to see these smaller projects return to the DECC Consents regime and we are working with Government to facilittate this as soon as possible.