Recommendations & Conclusions
6 items
4
Recommendation
2nd Report - Gridlock or growth? Avoidi…
Accepted in Part
Given that the Government, in its Planning and Infrastructure Bill, is seeking to disapply the current requirement for the Secretary of State to respond to any resolutions made by a committee in either House of Parliament, we recommend that the Government, in future, ensures that: a. Select Committees are provided …
Government response. The government agrees that Select Committees should have sufficient time for scrutiny but rejects committing to a fixed minimum review period of ten sitting weeks due to the need for flexibility and pace in energy delivery. It commits to ensuring …
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
6
Conclusion
2nd Report - Gridlock or growth? Avoidi…
Accepted in Part
The Government’s new strategic framework for energy infrastructure planning represents a significant departure from the existing market-led approach to development by industry. The National Policy Statements should define what is set centrally and what is expected from industry plainly and transparently, to give certainty and avoid ambiguity. (Conclusion, Paragraph 24)
Government response. The government clarifies its intention for a hybrid system, with NESO recommendations in the NPS covering high-level strategic parameters and project-level details subject to local planning, thereby partially defining roles.
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
12
Conclusion
2nd Report - Gridlock or growth? Avoidi…
Accepted in Part
We welcome the decision to endorse the Centralised Strategic Network Plan (CSNP) in the National Policy Statements. However, we are concerned that the proposed guidance in paragraphs 3.3.78 to 3.3.80 of EN-1 is not clear enough about what, precisely, it is from the CSNP that is being endorsed. This must …
Government response. The government clarifies that the NPS will endorse the CSNP's strategic parameters, such as location and technology choice, with further exact details to be defined in the methodology published early 2026.
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
13
Recommendation
2nd Report - Gridlock or growth? Avoidi…
Accepted in Part
The Government should review and, if necessary, amend the proposed guidance endorsing the CSNP in paragraphs 3.3.78 to 3.3.80 of EN-1, to make the language more consistent, unambiguous, and more in keeping with current understandings of the intended purpose of the CSNP. This may involve: • reviewing the reference to …
Government response. The government has removed the term "strategic solution" from the guidance as recommended but maintained "indicative routes" and "strategic parameters" with justifications for their continued use.
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
14
Recommendation
2nd Report - Gridlock or growth? Avoidi…
Accepted in Part
The National Policy Statements should clarify that adjustments may be made to the “strategic parameters” for new electricity transmission infrastructure set out in the Centralised Strategic Network Plan where this is justified following detailed design development, community consultations or environmental surveys. (Recommendation, Paragraph 42)
Government response. The government will review if full endorsement of the ETDP within EN-5 is appropriate after the 2025 NPS EN-5 update publication, implying a partial acceptance of adjustments to strategic parameters following consultations and surveys.
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
45
Recommendation
2nd Report - Gridlock or growth? Avoidi…
Accepted in Part
The Government should review and amend this guidance to: • The Government should reaffirm its commitment to developing solar on developed land, brownfield land, contaminated land and industrial land before agricultural land. The Government should also consider innovative ways to develop solar energy without agricultural land. • Clarify more precisely …
Government response. The government states NPS guidance already prioritises brownfield and lower-quality agricultural land and has added a reference to Natural England's guidance on assessing agricultural land classification in the NPS for clarity, including soil surveys. However, it does not explicitly commit …
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero