Navigating infrastructure planning: Types, approvals, and funding guide

Navigating the complex system of approvals, funding routes, and delivery mechanisms for different types of infrastructure can be challenging. Understanding the most appropriate delivery vehicles and where responsibilities lie is critical to effective planning.

Through our work supporting councils across various PAS programmes, we identified a need for a comprehensive resource that:
✔ Categorises different infrastructure types
✔ Outlines the permission processes required for each
✔ Identifies available funding sources

This resource is designed to serve as a practical reference tool for local authorities and stakeholders involved in infrastructure projects, supporting a holistic approach to planning and delivery.

Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) and infrastructure providers must interact on a number of critical issues to ensure the smooth development and delivery of infrastructure. Coordinating across these areas helps ensure that infrastructure planning is aligned with both local and national needs, improving efficiency and effectiveness across the planning system. The key areas of interaction include:

• Local Plan development – LPAs and infrastructure providers work together to map infrastructure needs against future growth, ensuring clear timelines for delivery and alignment with the local plan’s Infrastructure Delivery Plan (IDP).
• Consideration of major planning applications and site allocations – Collaboration is needed to assess and include necessary infrastructure provisions, ensuring infrastructure is factored into planning negotiations for major developments.
• Planning application considerations – LPAs and infrastructure providers assess the impact of development on infrastructure, ensuring that existing capacity is adequate and identifying additional infrastructure needs.
• Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) – Collaboration ensures that large-scale infrastructure projects align with local needs and policies, helping to address regional infrastructure requirements and beyond.
• Funding allocation – LPAs and infrastructure providers work together to allocate funding through developer contributions (e.g., Section 106 and CIL) and council capital funds, ensuring resources are directed to projects that meet development and community needs.

This resource is part of a suite of tools and guidance that PAS is designing to support LPAs in infrastructure planning. By providing clear, structured information on types of infrastructure, permission routes, and funding options, this resource is designed to help LPAs and infrastructure providers collaborate more effectively, ensuring infrastructure needs are identified and addressed throughout the planning process and aligned with both local and national priorities.

This resource is structured into a series of information tables focusing on:

1. Types and Subtypes of Infrastructure (Table 1)

• A breakdown of typical infrastructure types and subtypes.

2. Current Permission Routes (Tables 2 and 3)

• A summary of permission routes, decision-making processes, and local authority roles.
• An overview of what type of infrastructure each permission route be applied to, based on current legislation and regulatory frameworks.

3. Funding & Financing Options (Tables 4, 5 and 6)

• Overview of traditional and innovative funding routes for infrastructure projects.
• High-level assessment of applicable funding/financing options for different types of infrastructure.
• Examples of long-term public sector funding opportunities.

The current legislative and regulatory framework in the UK allows for a number of routes to obtain permission for infrastructure development. These are summarised in Table 2.

Table 3 provides an overview of what type of infrastructure each permission route be applied to, based on current legislation and regulatory frameworks.

Table 4 provides an overview of various funding and financing options for infrastructure projects, including traditional and innovative approaches. This guide can help local authorities navigate potential resources available for infrastructure development and identify the most appropriate routes for projects.

Table 5 provides an overview of what type of infrastructure can each funding/financing option be applied to, based on current funding/financing criteria and regulations of the respective funding/financing body.

Table 6 provides examples of various public sector funding routes available to support infrastructure development across a wide range of sectors. From transportation to healthcare, these funding opportunities help deliver essential services and contribute to improving communities, education, and sustainability. This guide outlines the types of infrastructure that each funding route supports, and provides resources for further guidance. You should note that this is not an exhaustive list and that we will try to update it as and when we are aware of new funding opportunities.