A centre of excellence for local authorities, hosted by Suffolk County Council
Over 120 major infrastructure projects have been successfully delivered through the NSIP regime since it was introduced by the 2008 Planning Act. Geography means that many NSIP developments have traditionally been clustered in a few areas of the country, for example the number of off-shore wind and other energy projects on the Eastern coast of the country or flooding and tidal schemes around major estuaries. However, these trends are changing and many more local authorities are now required to develop expertise in national infrastructure planning.
Suffolk County Council have seen a very large number of NSIPs developed in their area, with over 19 NSIP schemes approved, submitted or proposed over recent years. This includes the Sizewell C nuclear power station, several offshore wind schemes and solar power farms as well as new electricity transmission lines. Supported by the Government's Innovation and Capacity Fund, Suffolk have drawn on this experience to set up the East of England Centre of Excellence for NSIPs in 2022 and a new, national centre of excellence in 2024.
PAS work closely with Suffolk to support the critical work of the Centre of Excellence. The guides, presentations and other materials available through the Centre are an excellent source of information and help for any local authority dealing with NSIPs.