Defra consults on sewers

摘要

Defra is consulting the industry on whether proposed major sewers should be included in the existing planning process for major infrastructure projects. Currently, the Planning Act 2008 specifies certain types of major schemes, such as power stations and large sewage treatment works, as Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs). The consultation is seeking views on proposed secondary legislation that would amend the Act to specify major sewer projects in England above a 350,000m2 storage capacity threshold as NSIPs. They could then go through the same planning application process as other NSIPs. This means a proposed major sewer project would submit a single application to the Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC), rather than potentially multiple applications to many local planning authorities. When the Localism Bill completes its Parliamentary process, the IPC will be replaced by a Major Infrastructure Planning Unit within the Planning Inspectorate to consider any applications and make its recommendation to Ministers.