Project Nutcracker: Our latest thinking about speeding up consenting

In our Special Issue May edition newsletter we floated the idea of creating a new form of consent for infrastructure projects (or some categories thereof), which would be both faster overall and less resource intensive throughout. Our central thesis was that both factors are important in order to free up enough trained human resources to … Read more

Monthly NSIP Newsletter – July 2023 issue

The July 2023 edition of HSF’s monthly NSIP newsletter is now available. This is our regular newsletter highlighting what we consider to be the most interesting and topical recent events within the NSIP world together with our opinions on key issues that matter to our clients The July 2023 newsletter is available here and covers: … Read more

Monthly NSIP Newsletter – May 2023 issue

The HSF May 2023 Monthly Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects Newsletter is now available, our regular newsletter highlighting what we consider to be the most interesting and topical recent events within the NSIP world together with our opinions on key issues that matter to our clients. The May 2023 newsletter is available here and covers: Statements … Read more

Monthly NSIP newsletter – Special issue May 2023 – Project Nutcracker

For this month’s newsletter, we’ve decided to take a slightly different approach to our usual format. In this special issue, our usual round-up of project-related updates from the NSIP world is at section 7. The main focus of the newsletter is instead the various reforms to the NSIP regime which the Government is trailing or … Read more

Planning permission up for sale?

This article was first published in Estates Gazette on 12 April 2023 – see here. Emphasising local support secured by economic benefits may be in conflict with the long-standing principle that planning permissions should not be bought and sold. The December 2022 government consultation on changes to the National Planning Policy Framework closed in March … Read more

Environmental outcomes – friend or foe?

 Summary As a part of a prolific run of policy consultation and updates in the planning world, the Government recently published and sought views on how a proposed new system of environmental assessment (Environmental Outcomes Reports or EOR) could work as a replacement to the existing SEA/EIA regimes (here). The consultation was published on 17 … Read more

Nimbyism, Yimbyism and Localism – is there a difference?

Or “Why a populist approach to planning is a mistake” It is a fact that planning decisions made by local authorities, the Planning Inspectorate (“PINS”) or the Secretary of State will not always reflect the vocal opinions of some local groups, even where they claim to speak for the whole community. This was always a … Read more

Monthly NSIP Newsletter – February 2023 issue

The HSF February 2023 Monthly Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects Newsletter is now available, our regular newsletter highlighting what we consider to be the most interesting and topical recent events within the NSIP world together with our opinions on key issues that matter to our clients. The February 2023 newsletter is available here and covers: NSIP Reform … Read more

Monthly NSIP Newsletter – December 2022 and January 2023

The HSF December 2022 and January 2023 Monthly Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects Newsletter is now available, our regular newsletter highlighting what we consider to be the most interesting and topical recent events within the NSIP world together with our opinions on key issues that matter to our clients. The December 2022 and January 2023 newsletter … Read more