The Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC) has now announced the first major infrastructure projects that it expects will come forward as applications in March 2010. These include 4 large scale wind farms in Wales as well as 2 new nuclear power stations, a biomass power plant and 2 national grid connections in England.

The IPC has been set up as a national independent body to make decisions on nationally significant infrastructure projects such as railways, large wind farms, power stations, reservoirs, harbours, airports and sewage treatment works.

The changes seek to address the difficulties encountered in the decision making for major projects. It took 7 years for a decision on Heathrow Terminal 5 and the government has acknowledged that lengthy decision processes result in high costs, uncertainty and blight. In today’s economic climate, delays in decisions can impact upon investments being made.

The ‘promoters’ of the projects can submit their applications to the IPC and the system aims to provide a fairer, faster and more transparent decision making process, whilst giving clearer and better opportunities to communities, local authorities and objectors to play a part. The new regime under the IPC will require project promoters to carry out wide consultation in communities before applications are submitted and to  investigate the impact that a project will have on the local environment.

Further guidance is expected, with the IPC receiving applications from March 2010.

We are able to provide a full range of planning services including:

For further information and an informal discussion, please contact Helen Van Willegen on 01639 640549