National Infrastructure Planning Reforms

The National Infrastructure Strategy set an ambition to cut the timescales for large infrastructure projects by up to 50% and established a National Infrastructure Planning Reform Programme. DLUHC is working across Government to oversee the programme, managing a wide range of new initiatives to make the NSIP regime better, faster, greener, fairer and more resilient.

Key sources of information for local planning authorities include:  

• The NSIP action plan for reforms to the planning process - published in February 2023, the plan introduces a systems thinking approach to NSIP reform and actions across five reform areas. Area four looks at the role of local authorities and strengthening community engagement with NSIPs.  
• A Consultation on operational reforms to the NSIP consenting process - launched in July 2023, sought views on detailed operational reforms to make the NSIP system more effective. Section 8 looks at the role of local authorities and how this could be strengthened through short term innovation and capacity funding, longer term capacity building through the use of Planning Performance Agreements and improved community engagement. We expect a response to the consultation in Spring 2024.
• The Getting Britain Building Again prospectus - published alongside the Autumn Statement in November 2023, this prospectus makes the economic case for infrastructure investment and improvements to the planning process and seeks to build on earlier reforms to tackle delays and reduce costs for infrastructure. The prospectus sets out long and short term changes around four themes:
  • Speed – making decisions faster and more consistently.
  • Certainty – creating more certainty for investors and developers.
  • Simplicity – minimising bureaucracy and the frequency of legal challenge.
  • Delivery – structuring incentives within the system to drive project delivery and discourage unnecessary delays.

Local Authority NSIP Network Statement 

The PAS local authority NSIP network has been working with DLUHC to share the experience of local authorities and help inform Government proposals for NSIP reform. Local authorities in the network agreed a general statement on NSIPs and their position on the priorities for reform to the regime. 

The statement uses local experience to identify three key areas for further development and improvement in the way that nationally significant infrastructure is being planned and delivered. These are:

• Greater cooperation and coordination between project promoters, and between local and national government and system planners.
• Building trust in the consenting process, and the ability and capacity of communities to engage in it.
• Increasing public understanding of the extent, magnitude and speed of change required.

The full statement can be downloaded below and will be used by the network to press for improvements and assess progress.