The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has launched a consultation about how infrastructure consenting for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects could be streamlined.
This consultation seeks views on changes to guidance, services operated by the public sector, and secondary legislation to streamline the infrastructure planning process for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects.
This includes the following proposals that support the application process for development consent under the Planning Act 2008:
- new guidance about consultation and engagement following removal of statutory pre-application consultation requirements through the Planning and Infrastructure Bill;
- guidance and secondary legislation to support notification and publicity;
- guidance to support the acceptance stage for applications;
- the use of Initial Assessments of Principal Issues to focus examinations;
- guidance for public bodies about their role in examinations;
- changes to regulations related to the examination of applications including compulsory acquisition;
- reforms and improvements to pre-application services provided by the Planning Inspectorate and the fast-track process;
- supporting pre-application services through effective resourcing of statutory bodies.
It also seeks views on the removal of statutory pre-application requirements for onshore wind projects under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 guidance.
This consultation closes at 11:59pm on 27 October 2025
More information can be found at: Consultation on streamlining infrastructure planning – GOV.UK
