Source · Select Committees · Energy Security and Net Zero Committee
2nd Report - Gridlock or growth? Avoiding energy planning chaos
Energy Security and Net Zero Committee
HC 868
Published 7 July 2025
Recommendations
4
Accepted in Part
Require Government to provide ten sitting weeks for Select Committee National Policy Statement scrutiny.
Recommendation
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 …
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Government Response Summary
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 that future scrutiny periods will encompass the public consultation and allow additional time for committees to report and debates to occur, acknowledging the importance of parliamentary consideration.
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
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13
Accepted in Part
Review and amend EN-1 guidance endorsing CSNP for clarity and consistent language.
Recommendation
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 …
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Government Response Summary
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
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14
Accepted in Part
Clarify National Policy Statements to permit adjustments to electricity transmission strategic parameters when justified.
Recommendation
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 …
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Government Response Summary
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
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45
Accepted in Part
Amend solar farm guidance to clarify agricultural land classification and food security considerations.
Recommendation
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 …
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Government Response Summary
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 to referring to food security in the guidance or addressing the patchwork nature of BMV land.
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
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Conclusions (2)
6
Conclusion
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 Summary
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.
12
Conclusion
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 Summary
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.