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
7
Deferred
Amend National Policy Statements to clarify their relationship and hierarchy with strategic plans.
Recommendation
The Government should amend the National Policy Statements for energy infrastructure to clarify the precise relationship and hierarchy between these documents and the strategic plans which the proposed updates endorse. (Recommendation, Paragraph 25)
Government Response Summary
The government states it cannot pre-empt conclusions for plans still in development, deferring precise clarification and hierarchy details to future NPS updates and NESO's finalised methodologies once plans are published.
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
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17
Deferred
Review removing specific electricity distribution infrastructure from NSIP regime for faster delivery.
Recommendation
The Government should review whether some types of electricity distribution infrastructure should be removed from the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects regime and instead consented under section 37 of the Electricity Act 1989, to speed up delivery critical to Clean Power …
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Government Response Summary
The government's response focused on community engagement and transparency within the existing NSIP regime and strategic plans (CSNP, SSEP), discussing future consultations and methodology publications. It did not address the specific recommendation to review whether certain types of electricity distribution infrastructure should be removed from the NSIP regime.
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
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37
Deferred
Establish proportion of delivered ecological and landscape mitigations, reasons for failures, and solutions.
Recommendation
The Government should establish what proportion of ecological enhancements and landscape mitigations for energy infrastructure are delivered in practice, the most common reasons for lack of enforcement, and potential solutions. This analysis should consider offsite, as well as onsite, mitigations …
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Government Response Summary
The government states that applicants are already required to include mitigation and enhancement measures, and EN-1 allows compulsory acquisition for mitigation land. It will introduce Environmental Outcomes Reports in due course, but the request to establish delivery rates and amend planning policy to increase developer responsibility will be kept under review as it cannot be addressed within the current NPS review timeframe.
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
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46
Deferred
Update Agricultural Land Classification urgently to reflect climate change and farming practice impacts.
Recommendation
The Government should review and update the Agricultural Land Classification, as a matter of urgency, to reflect how factors such as climate change, soil degradation, changes to farming practices and technological advancements might affect productivity. (Recommendation, Paragraph 109) 59
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Government Response Summary
Defra states that the recent Land Use Consultation included a question on updating the Agricultural Land Classification system and that the government remains committed to reviewing and maintaining accurate classification data. This indicates the matter is under consideration via consultation rather than an immediate commitment to an urgent update.
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
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Conclusions (2)
35
Conclusion
Deferred
We are gravely concerned by reports that many ecological enhancements and landscape mitigations promised by developers are never delivered in practice. This indicates systemic failings, brings the planning system into disrepute, and questions whether the Government will be able to fulfil its ambitions to build critical infrastructure in a nature …
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges the committee's concerns regarding the non-delivery of ecological enhancements and mitigations but states that this issue cannot be addressed within the current NPS review timeframe and will be kept under review.
36
Conclusion
Deferred
National planning policy should require developers to identify specific sites, both suitable and available, for offsite landscape and environmental mitigations in their development consent applications. (Conclusion, Paragraph 85)
Government Response Summary
The government states that applicants are already required to include mitigation measures and can seek compulsory acquisition for land, and it will introduce Environmental Outcomes Reports in due course. However, the specific issue of requiring developers to identify offsite mitigation sites will be kept under review as it cannot be addressed within the current NPS review timeframe.