Power to fast-track new nuclear power stations given to ministers

Greg Clark, the Levelling Up Secretary, revealed yesterday that ministers will be given the ability to speed up projects to create jobs in the UK which are often met with delays.

It comes after the Government committed to trying to halve the times it takes to get major projects approved which are crucial to the country’s energy, water and transport.

Secretaries of State will be able to set shorter deadlines for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) which can include new offshore wind farms or roads.

A senior minister can decide to class a project, such as a new nuclear power station, as an NSIP, which takes it outside of locally-led planning processes.

Through new amendments to the Levelling Up Bill, this would give ministers the powers to shorten how long new projects need to get approved, as well as changes to plans once they’ve been green-lit.

Small changes to projects once work has begun can take up to 16 months, which is viewed as too slow.

In the Government’s Energy Security Strategy, announced last month, it pledged to change a range of measures to reduce the time it takes to approve a new offshore wind farm from four years, down to just one.

“Particularly in a time of high inflation, things need to be done more quickly or costs of major infrastructure projects will rise,” Mr Clark said.

“These changes will help deliver new infrastructure more quickly, by speeding up the planning process which often moves too slowly.”

The Government said that it was attempting to move away from lengthy planning processes which saw projects such as the Sizewell B nuclear power station take 7 years to be approved.

Alongside the announcement, the Levelling Up Secretary said that 10 areas affected by large infrastructure projects have been given funding to explore ways councils and local areas can speed up getting NSIPs approved.

Included in these are Selby District Council and North Yorkshire County Council. They were given £52,000 to look at ways to speed up assessments on biodiversity and environmental health on the various renewable energy projects in the region, such as Drax Power Station.

In addition Eden District Council and Cumbria County Council will be given £60,000 each in response to the A66 Northern Trans-Pennine Project, which is set to turn single carriageway sections of the road into a dual carriageway.

It is understood that the new powers for ministers to speed up projects like these will only apply to new NSIPs.

This month’s drought has seen urgent calls for the UK to increase its supply of reservoirs to avoid further pressures on the water supply and subsequent hosepipe bans, with analysis by the National Infrastructure Commission suggesting that nearly 30 new reservoirs are needed to safeguard the country’s water networks.

Pressures on the country’s energy security, exposed by the war in Ukraine, have meant that ministers have begun green-lighting new and existing projects on gas, oil, nuclear, wind, and solar energy.

The focus on diversifying the UK’s energy resources is expected not to have an effect on the coming winter’s cost of living crisis, but could safeguard the UK against future energy disasters.