Key guidance for nationally significant infrastructure projects (NSIPs) has been updated by the Planning Inspectorate, following significant legislative changes that took effect just days ago. The amendments to the Planning Act 2008, brought about by the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025, came into force on 24 July 2026, altering the process for both applicants and those wishing to make representations on major development proposals across the UK.
The Planning Inspectorate, responsible for examining NSIP applications, has begun to revise its non-statutory advice pages to align with the new legal framework. These initial updates, published today, 27 July 2026, address some of the most immediate changes. Notably, references to the statutory requirement for applicants to carry out pre-application consultation have been removed, reflecting a shift in the legal obligations surrounding project development.
Government guidance supporting these changes has been made available on its National Infrastructure Planning Guidance Portal. The Planning Inspectorate's advice pages are designed to complement this official guidance and legislation, aiming to ensure the efficient operation of the infrastructure planning system. While non-statutory, applicants and other interested parties are encouraged to follow these recommendations for best practice.
Further updates to the remaining advice pages, including those concerning environmental matters, are expected to be implemented during August 2026. This forms part of a broader, more detailed review of the entire NSIP advice page collection, which commenced this summer, to fully integrate the amended legal and guidance framework. All future updates will be published on the Planning Inspectorate’s GOV.UK pages, with an option for stakeholders to sign up for alerts.
The Planning Inspectorate's pre-application services are also undergoing revision. While the 2024 Pre-application Prospectus currently outlines the service offer, some features are now obsolete due to the recent legislative changes. The Inspectorate is conducting pilot programmes with selected applicants to test new approaches that align with government policy aims, with a revised prospectus reflecting these outcomes and the updated framework anticipated by summer 2027. In the interim, applicants are still advised to engage with the existing service tiers, with adjustments made to account for obsolete features.