Suffolk challenges Government on Planning reform at a National Infrastructure Conference
Following the success of this year’s conference, it will take place again in June 2026.
The Council and other speakers raised concerns that proposed changes to the NSIP regime were not suitably robust to manage the significant changes which NSIPs can bring to host communities, particularly with the proposed replacement of a statutory duty for pre-submission consultation with statutory guidance.
Councillor Richard Rout, Suffolk County Council’s Cabinet Member for Devolution, Local Government Reform and NSIPs, said:
“I’m proud that Suffolk County Council continues to lead the way with its NSIP expertise and influence and can bring together colleagues and speakers from around the country. “Suffolk has one of the greatest concentrations of NSIPs in the UK, and for me it’s important to ensure that local communities are considered first-and-foremost by local authorities, project promoters and government. “Today there were some robust discussions around government’s proposals to scrap the statutory duty to consult for NSIPs. “This is something that the county council fundamentally disagrees with - our communities need more and better consultation, not less. “We welcome any opportunity to further engage with Government to share our expertise as to what meaningful engagement should look like.”
Delegates from across the country attended the Conference to hear speakers from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), legal experts, and industry leaders discussing the emerging
Planning and Infrastructure Bill, effective communication with project promoters, and the importance of local impact reports.
The conference further cements Suffolk County Council’s recognised role as a Centre of Excellence for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) for its expertise when engaging with projects, such as Sizewell C, the Gull Wing, National Grid upgrades, solar farms and offshore wind farms.
The conference was sponsored by Cornerstone Barristers, Howes Percival, National Infrastructure Planning Association and Sharpe Pritchard.
Following the success of this year’s conference, it will take place again in June 2026.