The Planning Act 2008 established a specific regime to deal with applications for development consent for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) with the aim of streamlining the planning process for such large projects.
It also established the Infrastructure Planning Commission to deal with those applications and to grant development consent for them, although it was abolished in 2012 and its duties were transferred to the Planning Inspectorate, with the final determination on applications being made by the Secretary of State.
Now, eight years on, the 50th NSIP - the Palm Paper 3 Combined Cycle Gas Turbine Power Station in Kings Lynn - has been granted development consent, meaning the regime has now hit a significant milestone.
Steve Quartermain, Chief Executive of the Planning Inspectorate, said, "This is a significant milestone. Every application has met the statutory timescales laid down in the Planning Act 2008 for examination by the Inspectorate." He added, "This is a tremendous achievement for our inspectors and casework staff. The regime is a success as it has streamlined the decision making process for the major infrastructure that the country needs whilst ensuring proposals are properly and robustly examined and ensuring local people can have their say."
The 50 projects examined and approved through the NSIP regime include 31 energy projects, including Hinkley Point C, 16 transport projects, two waste developments and one waste water development.
Before the Planning Act 2008 was introduced, planning applications for such major development could take years to make their way through the planning system. For example, it took almost eight years for Terminal 5 at Heathrow Airport to be given planning consent. The Act, however, sets a strict deadline as regards the examination of the application (which should be a maximum of six months) and the determination of the application by the Secretary of State (which should be a maximum of three months).
It isn't often that we get to celebrate the success of legislation, so three cheers to the Planning Act 2008.
