National Policy Statements for Energy

14 Nov 2025 | Committee report linked

To remove scope for ambiguity, the Department should amend the wording of the draft revised National Policy Statement for Ports to explicitly confirm its applicability to projects directed into the Development Consent Order process under section 35 of the Planning Act 2008. (Recommendation, Paragraph 44) Design policy

To remove scope for ambiguity, the Department should amend the wording of the draft revised National Policy Statement for Ports to explicitly confirm its applicability to projects directed into the Development Consent Order process under section 35 of the Planning …

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14 Nov 2025 | Committee report linked

Decarbonising the maritime sector is a complex and long-term challenge that requires coordinated action across government, industry and planning frameworks. While the National Policy Statement for Ports is not the vehicle for setting decarbonisation policy, it plays a critical enabling role. By embedding decarbonisation considerations into planning decisions, the NPS can help ensure that future port development aligns with the UK’s broader climate commitments. (Conclusion, Paragraph 64)

Decarbonising the maritime sector is a complex and long-term challenge that requires coordinated action across government, industry and planning frameworks. While the National Policy Statement for Ports is not the vehicle for setting decarbonisation policy, it plays a critical enabling …

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14 Nov 2025 | Committee report linked

The Development Consent Order process is designed to streamline planning and accelerate the delivery of nationally significant infrastructure projects, including by mitigating the risk of legal challenge. The revised NPS should therefore include guidance to ensure that port developments are consistent with the UK’s statutory climate targets and are adaptable to future technological and regulatory changes. (Conclusion, Paragraph 70)

The Development Consent Order process is designed to streamline planning and accelerate the delivery of nationally significant infrastructure projects, including by mitigating the risk of legal challenge. The revised NPS should therefore include guidance to ensure that port developments are …

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14 Nov 2025 | Committee report linked

The Development Consent Order process is meant to streamline the planning approval process for nationally significant infrastructure. To achieve this and to reduce duplication of regulatory burdens, the National Policy Statement for Ports should contain similar provisions on deemed marine licences to those in the NPS for renewable energy infrastructure. The provisions about dredging should also be made less onerous, given its strict regulation through other mechanisms. (Conclusion, Paragraph ...

The Development Consent Order process is meant to streamline the planning approval process for nationally significant infrastructure. To achieve this and to reduce duplication of regulatory burdens, the National Policy Statement for Ports should contain similar provisions on deemed marine …

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7 Jul 2025 | Committee report linked

We find it immensely frustrating that the Government chose to act in a way which appeared to acquiesce to our requests for additional time to consider its draft National Policy Statements on Energy but only after we had compressed our schedule and carried out two oral evidence sessions on the same day. Obviously, had we been afforded the courtesy of notification of the arrangements in advance, we could, and would, have waited until the end of the public consultation period before commencing u...

We find it immensely frustrating that the Government chose to act in a way which appeared to acquiesce to our requests for additional time to consider its draft National Policy Statements on Energy but only after we had compressed our …

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7 Jul 2025 | Committee report linked

The Government has failed to respect the value of Parliamentary scrutiny in this process. It refused to listen to our concerns with its initial timescales until it was too late for us to utilise additional time effectively. The issues considered in the Report would have been better, and more comprehensively, examined and put to the test had the Government been open about the arrangements and told us, from the very start, that the deadline for producing our findings was to be 21 July, rather t...

The Government has failed to respect the value of Parliamentary scrutiny in this process. It refused to listen to our concerns with its initial timescales until it was too late for us to utilise additional time effectively. The issues considered …

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7 Jul 2025 | Committee report linked

These statements are very important in determining how energy infrastructure will be developed for the foreseeable future. The process was established, by the last Labour government, to provide Parliament with a voice and time to determine what to say. It is disappointing that the current Government has failed to create sufficient space in which an effective and helpful Parliamentary process could take place. (Conclusion, Paragraph 8) 50

These statements are very important in determining how energy infrastructure will be developed for the foreseeable future. The process was established, by the last Labour government, to provide Parliament with a voice and time to determine what to say. It …

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7 Jul 2025 | Committee report linked

Given that the Government, in its Planning and Infrastructure Bill, is seeking to disapply the current requirement for the Secretary of State to respond to any resolutions made by a committee in either House of Parliament, we recommend that the Government, in future, ensures that: a. Select Committees are provided with at least ten sitting weeks in which to consider future National Policy Statements and proposed amendments to an existing NPS, b. this period should never commence before the co...

Given that the Government, in its Planning and Infrastructure Bill, is seeking to disapply the current requirement for the Secretary of State to respond to any resolutions made by a committee in either House of Parliament, we recommend that the …

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7 Jul 2025 | Committee report linked

We welcome the new strategic framework for energy infrastructure planning which the Government proposes to endorse in the National Policy Statements. However, even with these changes, the National Policy Statements do not sufficiently reflect the highly important role that strategic plans are intended to have in guiding future energy infrastructure development to achieve the Government’s 2030 and 2050 targets. The relationship between the plans and the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Pr...

We welcome the new strategic framework for energy infrastructure planning which the Government proposes to endorse in the National Policy Statements. However, even with these changes, the National Policy Statements do not sufficiently reflect the highly important role that strategic …

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7 Jul 2025 | Committee report linked

The Government’s new strategic framework for energy infrastructure planning represents a significant departure from the existing market-led approach to development by industry. The National Policy Statements should define what is set centrally and what is expected from industry plainly and transparently, to give certainty and avoid ambiguity. (Conclusion, Paragraph 24)

The Government’s new strategic framework for energy infrastructure planning represents a significant departure from the existing market-led approach to development by industry. The National Policy Statements should define what is set centrally and what is expected from industry plainly and …

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7 Jul 2025 | Committee report linked

The Government should amend the National Policy Statements for energy infrastructure to clarify the precise relationship and hierarchy between these documents and the strategic plans which the proposed updates endorse. (Recommendation, Paragraph 25)

The Government should amend the National Policy Statements for energy infrastructure to clarify the precise relationship and hierarchy between these documents and the strategic plans which the proposed updates endorse. (Recommendation, Paragraph 25) Type: recommendation | Number: 7 | Response …

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7 Jul 2025 | Committee report linked

It seems to us that this would be inconsistent. The availability and prospects of securing a grid connection are issues that should cut both ways, weighing for, or against, the grant of development consent depending on the circumstances. (Conclusion, Paragraph 30) 51

It seems to us that this would be inconsistent. The availability and prospects of securing a grid connection are issues that should cut both ways, weighing for, or against, the grant of development consent depending on the circumstances. (Conclusion, Paragraph …

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7 Jul 2025 | Committee report linked

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 …

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7 Jul 2025 | Committee report linked

The National Policy Statements should give significant weight to the availability of a grid connection, as a paramount consideration in determining where electricity generation projects can be located. However, by the same token, where a project has not yet secured a grid connection, the prospects of doing so should also be a material consideration weighing for or against the grant of development consent. NESO may need to provide the Secretary of State with information to ensure that this que...

The National Policy Statements should give significant weight to the availability of a grid connection, as a paramount consideration in determining where electricity generation projects can be located. However, by the same token, where a project has not yet secured …

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7 Jul 2025 | Committee report linked

We welcome the decision to endorse the Centralised Strategic Network Plan (CSNP) in the National Policy Statements. However, we are concerned that the proposed guidance in paragraphs 3.3.78 to 3.3.80 of EN-1 is not clear enough about what, precisely, it is from the CSNP that is being endorsed. This must be unambiguous, to avoid unnecessary argument about the issue during the development consent process. (Conclusion, Paragraph 40)

We welcome the decision to endorse the Centralised Strategic Network Plan (CSNP) in the National Policy Statements. However, we are concerned that the proposed guidance in paragraphs 3.3.78 to 3.3.80 of EN-1 is not clear enough about what, precisely, it …

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7 Jul 2025 | Committee report linked

Endorsement of the Strategic Spatial Energy Plan, the Centralised Strategic Network Plan and the Electricity Transmission Design Principles in the National Policy Statements should not become official until these plans are finalised and have completed public consultation and environmental assessments. At that stage, the Government should review the proposed policy wording to do so and should implement any necessary changes through the streamlined procedure for amending the National Policy Sta...

Endorsement of the Strategic Spatial Energy Plan, the Centralised Strategic Network Plan and the Electricity Transmission Design Principles in the National Policy Statements should not become official until these plans are finalised and have completed public consultation and environmental assessment

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7 Jul 2025 | Committee report linked

We welcome a more strategic approach to energy infrastructure planning that integrates the pursuit of climate and biodiversity goals and enables the early consideration of nature protection on a habitat-wide basis. We are encouraged to see this ambition reflected in the Government’s Clean Power 2030 Action Plan, the Strategic Spatial Energy Plan (SSEP) Methodology, the Land Use Framework (LUF) and the National Energy System Operator (NESO)’s high-level methodology principles for the Centralis...

We welcome a more strategic approach to energy infrastructure planning that integrates the pursuit of climate and biodiversity goals and enables the early consideration of nature protection on a habitat-wide basis. We are encouraged to see this ambition reflected in …

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7 Jul 2025 | Committee report linked

The Government should consider how guidance in the National Policy Statements could respond to such findings by positively encouraging such practices. (Recommendation, Paragraph 78)

The Government should consider how guidance in the National Policy Statements could respond to such findings by positively encouraging such practices. (Recommendation, Paragraph 78) Type: recommendation | Number: 29 | Response status: accepted Government response: The NPSs encourage sustainable de

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7 Jul 2025 | Committee report linked

The Government should consider how guidance in the National Policy Statements could help to achieve this and confirm what further steps it is taking to reduce unnecessary costs and delays incurred due to the current project-by-project approach. (Recommendation, Paragraph 81) 56

The Government should consider how guidance in the National Policy Statements could help to achieve this and confirm what further steps it is taking to reduce unnecessary costs and delays incurred due to the current project-by-project approach. (Recommendation, Paragraph 81) …

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7 Jul 2025 | Committee report linked

We are concerned that a lack of clear guidance is leading to unnecessary arguments about food security taking up disproportionate time and resources during examinations. We are concerned that the current guidance on agricultural land classification and land type for solar farms, in paragraphs 2.10.20 to 2.10.26 of EN-3, is ambiguous, equivocal and seemingly contradictory, particularly in relation to development on BMV agricultural land. There is a compelling need for the National Policy State...

We are concerned that a lack of clear guidance is leading to unnecessary arguments about food security taking up disproportionate time and resources during examinations. We are concerned that the current guidance on agricultural land classification and land type for …

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24 May 2024 | Committee report linked

While we welcome the commissioning of a Centralised Strategic Network Plan and a Strategic Spatial Energy Plan, the relationship between the two is unclear: unless they are developed in tandem, in an environment where the relationship between the two is actively nurtured, there is an evident risk that the two plans will deliver suboptimal outcomes. We are struck by the current lack of evidence of a unified overall approach to delivery planning for the energy system in a way which explicitly f...

While we welcome the commissioning of a Centralised Strategic Network Plan and a Strategic Spatial Energy Plan, the relationship between the two is unclear: unless they are developed in tandem, in an environment where the relationship between the two is …

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20 Oct 2023 | Committee report linked

The review of the NNNPS was overdue. It was launched to bring the policy framework for major infrastructure schemes up to date, and as a response to legal challenges to schemes prompted by the introduction of significant net zero legislation. The Government should have been proactive and reviewed the NNNPS upon the introduction of net zero targets, and should do so when any changes are made to the net zero target policies.

The review of the NNNPS was overdue. It was launched to bring the policy framework for major infrastructure schemes up to date, and as a response to legal challenges to schemes prompted by the introduction of significant net zero legislation. …

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21 Jun 2023 | Committee report linked

We are sceptical that plans for expanding nuclear, solar and wind power are credible. Government has set itself highly challenging electricity generating capacity ambitions for nuclear (24GW by 2050), solar (70GW by 2035) and offshore wind power (50GW by 2030). By comparison, the UK’s current operating capacity is less than a quarter of each of these ambitions. For example, its nuclear ambitions include a mix of large stations as well as so-called SMRs, a type of smaller reactor untested in t...

We are sceptical that plans for expanding nuclear, solar and wind power are credible. Government has set itself highly challenging electricity generating capacity ambitions for nuclear (24GW by 2050), solar (70GW by 2035) and offshore wind power (50GW by 2030). …

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3 May 2023 | Committee report linked

We welcome the UK Government’s announcement that it will deliver a programme of new nuclear projects. We recommend that the Government publishes a medium to long-term programme for nuclear energy generation. The programme must set out how it will achieve its ambitions of up to 24GW of nuclear energy by 2050 and must state which technologies (gigawatt-scale or Small Modular Reactor) the Government wants to be built, where and on what timescale. The programme should also include clear statement...

We welcome the UK Government’s announcement that it will deliver a programme of new nuclear projects. We recommend that the Government publishes a medium to long-term programme for nuclear energy generation. The programme must set out how it will achieve …

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28 Apr 2023 | Committee report linked

We believe that there should be no extension beyond 2027 for taxpayer support for unabated bioenergy plants, and that the aim should be to phase out such plants in favour of more sustainable alternatives as soon as possible. This could include bioenergy with carbon capture and storage but only in a scenario where viable and functioning carbon capture and storage is in use. Further subsidy should not be given to unabated biomass. Any future subsidies should only be provided to companies which ...

We believe that there should be no extension beyond 2027 for taxpayer support for unabated bioenergy plants, and that the aim should be to phase out such plants in favour of more sustainable alternatives as soon as possible. This could …

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28 Apr 2023 | Committee report linked

In December 2020, the Government confirmed that the National Policy Statements for Energy, which were published in 2011, would need to be updated to reflect our transition away from fossil fuels and towards cleaner, greener sources of energy. We are disappointed that now, in 2023, the Government has not yet finalised these statements. The Government is consulting on material changes to the statements which reflect recent shifts in Government policy. These changes will also be subject to parli...

In December 2020, the Government confirmed that the National Policy Statements for Energy, which were published in 2011, would need to be updated to reflect our transition away from fossil fuels and towards cleaner, greener sources of energy. We are …

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25 Feb 2022 | Committee report linked

We welcome the fact that EN-1 has been revised to reflect the Government’s commitment to deliver net zero by 2050, and to move away from reliance on fossil fuels. Meeting our net zero target will require a significant scale and pace of change in delivering new energy infrastructure. We therefore welcome the Government’s timely review of the National Policy Statement for Energy and its recognition that significant changes to the planning framework for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Proj...

We welcome the fact that EN-1 has been revised to reflect the Government’s commitment to deliver net zero by 2050, and to move away from reliance on fossil fuels. Meeting our net zero target will require a significant scale and …

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25 Feb 2022 | Committee report linked

As currently drafted, revised (draft) EN-1 does not provide the “step change” needed to deliver the required scale of new NSIPs at a sufficiently rapid pace to deliver the Government’s net zero aims. This is largely due to ambiguity in the drafting about the relative weight of ‘climate change’ relative to local impacts to be taken into account in making planning decisions. We recommend that revised (draft) EN-1 be further amended to make the Government’s commitment to net zero more explicit a...

As currently drafted, revised (draft) EN-1 does not provide the “step change” needed to deliver the required scale of new NSIPs at a sufficiently rapid pace to deliver the Government’s net zero aims. This is largely due to ambiguity in …

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25 Feb 2022 | Committee report linked

We recommend that revised (draft) EN-1 provides clearer direction in favour of the presumption of the delivery of new energy infrastructure required to deliver net zero. We recommend that revised (draft) EN-1 explicitly sets out that the NPS takes precedent over any other conflicting local or statutory bodies’ planning policies. We further recommend that the Government work closely with those local and statutory authorities, to make sure that their planning principles are more broadly in line...

We recommend that revised (draft) EN-1 provides clearer direction in favour of the presumption of the delivery of new energy infrastructure required to deliver net zero. We recommend that revised (draft) EN-1 explicitly sets out that the NPS takes precedent …

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25 Feb 2022 | Committee report linked

We recognise that the inclusion of specific targets for the delivery of renewable energy infrastructure within the NPS would provide a clear indication of the Government’s intention to deliver net zero—and give practical application to this principle within the planning process. We acknowledge the Minister’s response that the Government’s targets for specific technologies are set out elsewhere, and that the purpose of updating the NPS was to bring the planning framework in line with those tar...

We recognise that the inclusion of specific targets for the delivery of renewable energy infrastructure within the NPS would provide a clear indication of the Government’s intention to deliver net zero—and give practical application to this principle within the planning …

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25 Feb 2022 | Committee report linked

If the Government’s targets set for renewables are not to be included within the NPS planning regime, the link between those targets and planning principles must be made explicit in respect of each technology or generation capacity, so that they are clearly understood by planning authorities and industry to facilitate the delivery of renewable energy infrastructure projects

If the Government’s targets set for renewables are not to be included within the NPS planning regime, the link between those targets and planning principles must be made explicit in respect of each technology or generation capacity, so that they …

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25 Feb 2022 | Committee report linked

The purpose of reviewing the current NPS was to update it to bring it in line with the Government’s Energy White Paper. However, since then, the Government has published a number of key policy documents which are relevant for the effective delivery of nationally significant infrastructure to deliver net zero. We recommend that before the final version of the revised NPS for Energy is laid before Parliament it is further updated to bring it in line with current policy, especially, for example,...

The purpose of reviewing the current NPS was to update it to bring it in line with the Government’s Energy White Paper. However, since then, the Government has published a number of key policy documents which are relevant for the …

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25 Feb 2022 | Committee report linked

We note that the current review of the NPS for Energy is the first to have taken place in 10 years. In order to properly take into account the rapid pace of technological change in the energy sector and the need for significant progress towards meeting our net zero target, the NPS must be reviewed more frequently We recommend that the Energy NPS is reviewed every five years.

We note that the current review of the NPS for Energy is the first to have taken place in 10 years. In order to properly take into account the rapid pace of technological change in the energy sector and the …

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25 Feb 2022 | Committee report linked

We recommend that the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy work with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to consider the potential merits of implementing a single National Policy Statement across sectors with sub-sector statements linked to different technology developments. Consideration of this change should be assessed in the light of flexibility and the ability to review parts of the NPS more frequently. The Secretary of State for Business, Energy a...

We recommend that the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy work with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to consider the potential merits of implementing a single National Policy Statement across sectors with sub-sector statements linked to …

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25 Feb 2022 | Committee report linked

We welcome the review of the NPS for energy which updates the planning framework for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects in line with the Government’s policy commitments as set out in the Energy White Paper. In doing so, it should help provide the energy infrastructure required to deliver the Government’s net zero target. In order to achieve this, we have made a number of recommendations for further amendments to the revised (draft) NPS in this report, before the revised NPS is lai...

We welcome the review of the NPS for energy which updates the planning framework for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects in line with the Government’s policy commitments as set out in the Energy White Paper. In doing so, it should help …

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