Planning guidance has been updated to reflect new NSIP rules introduced on 24 July 2026
Planning Inspectorate updates NSIP advice following legislative changes that came into force on 24 July 2026, with revised guidance affecting applications for nationally significant infrastructure projects (NSIPs) under the Planning Act 2008.
The changes follow amendments introduced by the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025. According to the Planning Inspectorate, the new legal framework alters the process for applying for, and making representations about, NSIP applications. The government has also published supporting guidance through its National Infrastructure Planning Guidance Portal.
In response, the Planning Inspectorate has made initial updates to several of its non-statutory advice pages to reflect key changes to the Planning Act 2008 process. Although the advice pages do not have statutory force, the Inspectorate says they are based on experience and good practice and are intended to complement legislation and government guidance. Applicants and other participants are encouraged to follow the recommendations to help ensure the infrastructure planning system operates effectively.
One of the most significant changes for practitioners is the removal of references to the former statutory requirement for applicants to carry out pre-application consultation. That requirement has become obsolete following the legislative amendments that took effect on 24 July 2026. The updated guidance also reflects new arrangements for submitting NSIP applications through the government’s “Apply for and manage your infrastructure project” service.
The advice pages updated on 27 July 2026 include guidance on the preparation and submission of application documents, advice for local authorities and the consultation report, which has now been withdrawn. The Planning Inspectorate said further revisions will continue to be published through its GOV.UK advice pages as additional changes are implemented.
For solicitors advising developers, local authorities or other parties involved in NSIP applications, the immediate practical consequence is the need to work from the revised guidance rather than relying on earlier advice materials. In particular, practitioners should note that references to the previous statutory pre-application consultation requirement have been removed and that application submissions are now expected to follow the updated digital process where applicable. These changes sit alongside the amended legal framework introduced under the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025.
The Planning Inspectorate has also confirmed that aspects of its pre-application service are being updated. The existing 2024 Pre-application Prospectus remains in place for the time being, but some of its features are now obsolete because of the legislative changes. Applicants are still expected to subscribe to one of the three service tiers described in the current Prospectus, although the services provided will be adjusted to remove obsolete elements until a revised Prospectus is published.
To support future reforms, the Inspectorate is running pilot schemes with selected applicants to test revised approaches to pre-application services that align with government policy objectives. It expects to update the Prospectus by summer 2027 following the outcome of those pilots and the amended legal and guidance framework. The Inspectorate also confirmed that the process guide on the Find a National Infrastructure Project website will be updated to reflect the latest changes.