Planning reform is here
Later this year, the UK Government will set out new expectations for how developers consult on nationally significant infrastructure projects (NSIPs) – the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025. With mounting pressure to deliver major energy infrastructure across the UK, the aim is clear: halve the average four‑year planning timeline by reforming .
Developers are already seeing a shift from rigid statutory consultation to a more flexible approach, but striking the right balance will be critical. While it could cut months from the Development Consent Order Process (DCO), it also raises an important question: how do we ensure projects now and in the future have consulted adequately? And more importantly, what does that even look like?
What’s changing – and where confusion could creep in
In principle, the Government’s efforts to streamline the NSIP process gives developers more flexibility to design more proportionate engagement to their project and its local context.
Currently, developers can spend two to three years preparing a DCO application before it is even submitted to the Planning Inspectorate. The Government has identified this as a key reason for reform and plans to remove six statutory consultation duties from the Planning Act 2008, including requirements to consult interested parties, local communities, and take into account consultation responses.
More flexibility has also created additional uncertainty the industry could well do without. Projects can’t be put on hold to wait for this new guidance. Instead, developers have been left unsure whether their consultation will be enough for examination or, on the flip side, have they gone too far. What is clear is that without defined steps there is a risk that consultation is seen as less critical.
That interpretation would be a mistake. It could lead to major problems when an application is examined by the Planning Inspectorate. While the formal requirements may be changing, the Government’s expectation that developers engage meaningfully remains the same.
In fact, the Government has gone so far as to say it expects “high-quality early, meaningful and constructive engagement and consultation” to take place with those affected by NSIP proposals. But what does that mean in practice?
Consultation still matters
Even though it is likely statutory consultation requirements will be relaxed, public scrutiny does not disappear. Stakeholders, communities and local authorities have valuable insight which will help developers with their proposals.
While any attempt to shortcut consultation may appear to save time at first, it may inevitably create delays at examination. Objections that could have been solved early will become entrenched, and written representations and questions can quickly multiply. This leads to the project team spending more time responding to queries and reworking plans at a time when they should be firmly set.
Public trust = project success
Consultation shouldn’t be viewed solely as a regulatory step, but as a tool which ensures developers have the best, most robust project possible. Communities notice when they are listened to and remember when they are not. Weak communication and unheard stakeholders can result in:
- Negative local media coverage
- An increase in opposition groups
- Politicians, local councils or interest groups stepping in
- Delays and increased scrutiny against projects at examination
From a communications standpoint, consultation should be viewed as a proactive tool to shape narrative and build trust that helps speed up the approval process. Cutting corners in the name of timesaving can seem efficient, but it often results in operational and reputational damage later down the line.
What we need from Government
As the Government finalises its new NSIP consultation requirements under the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025, clarity will be crucial to keeping developers on track. Guidance should:
- State clearly what adequate and fair consultation looks like
- Encourage early, proportionate, two-way communication with communities
- Ensure public engagement contributes to creating the best possible project for developers
- Reward the quality of consultation and not just box-ticking
The key takeaway is that consultation is not the bottleneck – poor consultation is. By engaging stakeholders early and meaningfully, developers can identify and resolve issues before they escalate, reduce surprises or objections at examination, and minimise reputational risks.
Faster planning needs stronger public confidence
Planning reform and faster approvals are welcome, but they cannot replace public confidence. Developers who treat consultation as optional risk creating delays, opposition, and reputational challenges at examination.
The upcoming guidance is an opportunity to set clear expectations and define what good engagement looks like. When developers and communities work together from the start, projects move faster, approvals are smoother, and trust is built – exactly what planning reform aims to achieve.
If you’d like to talk to us about the upcoming reforms and how we can help support your project, contact renewables@pierweare.com. Find out more about our work in renewables here.
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