About the Potential Major Infrastructure MAP
The Potential Major Infrastructure Map is intended to show the breadth and types of major infrastructure projects that are likely to arise and pass through the government’s decision making structure for Major Infrastructure Projects under the anticipated Planning Reform Bill.
Whilst the authors have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of the map, the nature of future plans means they are very likely to change in the time that it takes for the proposed planning system to come into force. Sometimes proposals and plans are insufficiently detailed for the exact locations to be known. In these cases the locations marked on the map are indicative.
Locations:
Many plans are not yet sufficiently locationally specific for the exact location to be known and hence markers have been placed in indicative locations in the area where the proposed development is likely to take place. The markers for road schemes have been placed at an approximate mid place of the proposed development.
Timing:
Every effort has been made to ensure the map is accurate, based on information currently available. Plans change and events happen. As a result, whilst the proposed development may have been in a pre-planning stage during the research for the map, plans may advance and decisions could be made in a short period of time. Given the uncertainty about exactly when and how the proposed decision making system for Major Infrastructure Projects will come into force, it cannot be predicted with certainty whether the developments will pass through the current decision making system before then, or be abandoned before the new system takes effect.
Nuclear:
The government supports the inclusion of nuclear power in a future energy mix. They are currently consulting on nuclear energy and should they make a decision in favour of nuclear power, the sites included in the map are the most likely ones for new nuclear power stations. The government has said the list used in the map for nuclear waste sites will not form the basis of future decisions. However, the geological criteria for any future decisions are likely to be very similar to the criteria of the list used, since the geology of the sites has not altered.
Devolution and the Map
The map aims to highlight the kinds of projects in England and Wales that are likely to pass through the government's proposed new system for planning decisions on Major Infrastructure Projects, in particular those where the decision will be made by the Infrastructure Planning Commission. Most planning applications are determined by the devolved administrations, and so those administrations will continue to make planning decisions. The only exception is in Wales , where major energy projects (currently decided by the UK Secretary of State) will be decided by the proposed Infrastructure Planning Commission.
However, Wales , Scotland and Northern Ireland will also be affected when there are GB or UK wide National Policy Statements [such as for Aviation and Energy] . Apart from energy projects in Wales, decisions on planning applications for major infrastructure will still be made by these administrations or their local authorities, but within the policy context of National Policy Statements . Many of the details of how this will work in practice are still unclear.
Comments:
We would be happy to receive comments on the MIP MAP via email to owen.espley@foe.co.uk
