en.Wedoany.com Reported - The UK government has announced the abolition of the mandatory pre-application consultation requirement for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs), which is expected to shorten the pre-application period by up to 12 months and save the industry £10 billion.
The Planning and Infrastructure Bill introduces several changes to the NSIP planning system. The government confirmed on July 3 the termination of the mandatory pre-application consultation requirement, effective from July 24. NSIPs cover project types such as renewable energy generation facilities, nuclear power stations, reservoirs, new roads and bridges, data centers, and airport expansions.
The government stated that this change will cut up to 12 months from the planning process and could save the industry £10 billion during the current parliamentary term, which is set to dissolve on July 9, 2029, although the Prime Minister may request an earlier dissolution from the monarch. Instead, developers will receive early technical support and meaningful advice from the Planning Inspectorate before submitting applications, with the review process streamlined and focused on key issues, enabling projects to pass through the approval system faster and with greater certainty. Since the Inspectorate launched its new pre-application service, over 80 potential applicants have benefited from early advice to refine their proposed applications.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) stated that further details of new guidance, including content on the pre-application period, will be published soon to support the abolition of statutory consultation. David Price, Head of Infrastructure Decisions and Applications Services at the Planning Inspectorate, said the Inspectorate has worked closely with MHCLG during the development of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill and is ready to support its successful implementation, committed to collaborating with applicants, stakeholders, and delivery partners to support a more targeted infrastructure approval process.
Housing Secretary Steve Reed said the government is determined to make the UK a world leader in infrastructure construction, with reforms accelerating the start of wind farms, solar panels, and transport link projects. Energy Secretary Michael Shanks noted that the UK can no longer wait years to secure the clean energy infrastructure needed to strengthen energy security and grow the economy, with every turbine, every solar panel, and every cable helping to protect households from volatile fossil fuel markets.
Ben Goodwin, Director of Policy and Public Affairs at the Civil Engineering Contractors Association (Ceca), said accelerating the delivery of nationally significant infrastructure is crucial to unlocking economic growth. The UK's planning system is one of the most burdensome and expensive in the world, and the government is right to address this head-on. If done well, it can give the industry confidence to invest in people, equipment, and capacity. Major UK projects have long been hindered by slow and costly approval processes, and streamlining the system will reduce delays and boost productivity. However, faster planning must not compromise community engagement or project development. To maximize benefits, the government must ensure the Planning Inspectorate, local authorities, and other approval bodies have the resources, skills, and capabilities they need.
Ben Brittain, Director at the Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE), believes the mandatory pre-application consultation had become a box-ticking exercise, and replacing it with early, meaningful engagement from the Planning Inspectorate is the right reform. Cutting approval time by 12 months and saving £10 billion changes the economics of major projects. The key is that removing statutory consultation shifts responsibility to the quality of early engagement, and the Planning Inspectorate and local authorities need the resources and skills to deliver this engagement. If done right, involving designers and engineers early, these reforms will get better projects through the system faster. If done wrong, we simply shift delays from pre-application to post-application.
Robbie Owen, Infrastructure Planning Partner at Pinsent Masons, said these reforms could mark a significant shift in how nationally significant infrastructure projects are delivered. If effectively implemented, they should shorten development timelines, increase investor certainty, and help unlock the energy, transport, and water infrastructure needed to drive economic growth and support net-zero targets.
The Local Government Association (LGA) previously responded to MHCLG's consultation on streamlining infrastructure planning on October 28, 2025. Tom Hunt, Chair of the LGA's Inclusive Growth Board, noted in the consultation response that the pre-application stage is an early but necessary contact between applicants and statutory bodies, serving as a critical first step in identifying fundamental challenges, concerns, and opportunities. Removing this statutory requirement could have adverse consequences for both parties, and any new guidance must be co-designed with local authorities.
Marc Harris, Co-Chair of Labour YIMBY, said the UK has become too adept at delaying much-needed infrastructure. Cutting unnecessary processes means lower costs, faster decisions, and more actual construction of energy, transport, and water projects.
