We acknowledge the concern that strategic plans should not predetermine the outcome of any application for development consent. However, neither should the planning system be blind to the very existence of such plans and, most importantly, to their possible impact on the prospects of a project securing a grid connection. It would undermine the purpose of strategic plans if the Secretary of State were unable to take them into account in the planning balance. • The National Policy Statements sh...

We acknowledge the concern that strategic plans should not predetermine the outcome of any application for development consent. However, neither should the planning system be blind to the very existence of such plans and, most importantly, to their possible impact on the prospects of a project securing a grid connection. It would undermine the purpose of strategic plans if the Secretary of State were unable to take them into account in the planning balance. • The National Policy Statements should clearly recognise, as a material consideration, the regional and zonal capacities for different technologies specified in the Clean Power 2030 Actio Type: conclusion | Number: 9 | Response status: not_accepted Government response: Government does not intend for the planning system to decide where infrastructure should be built. Regional and zonal capacities established in the Clean Power Action Plan and the SSEP should be incentivised through different mechanisms. The Examining Authority sho