The Planning and Infrastructure Bill has been pitched as a catalyst for unlocking investment and accelerating delivery across energy, transport, and digital networks. From reforming the NSIP regime to fixing grid bottlenecks, supporting long-duration storage and streamlining EV infrastructure approvals, the Bill represents a series of targeted interventions rather than wholesale reform. It’s expected to receive Royal Assent by the end of the year.

As a developer, these changes could redefine the risk landscape by shaping how your projects are prioritised, financed, and delivered in the race to meet net zero and energy security goals.

Following our article which outlined the key features of the Bill from a planning law perspective, in this article we explore what some of the key changes mean for the infrastructure and energy sectors.

Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIP)

The Bill sets out significant reforms to the NSIP regime, including a more streamlined consultation process. Originally introduced under the Planning Act 2008, the NSIP regime was designed to provide a single, streamlined consenting route for major projects. Yet, according to the National Infrastructure Commission, decisions now take over four years on average, compared to 2.6 years in 2015[1].

Chronic delays and spiralling costs have largely been driven by outdated National Policy Statements (NPSs), overly cautious consultation practices and a surge in judicial reviews, with 58% of Development Consent Orders (DCOs) challenged in recent years, despite only a handful being overturned.

This reform should reduce your risk of consenting decisions being made against outdated policy frameworks – a common source of litigation. However, frequent updates could create a moving target for project promoters, particularly in the energy sector where technology and policy evolve rapidly.

The Bill will also grant the Secretary of State powers to direct projects out of the NSIP regime where an alternative route is more appropriate. This could benefit smaller or less complex schemes but introduces uncertainty: if you’re seeking NSIP status for strategic projects, you may find yourself redirected late in the process. Clear guidance will be essential to avoid wasted effort.

For energy developers, particularly in renewables, these reforms dovetail with policy shifts such as the reintroduction of onshore wind and solar into the NSIP regime at 100MW thresholds. Combined with updated energy NPSs (EN-1, EN-3, EN-5), the Bill could accelerate delivery of clean power projects critical to net zero and energy security goals[2]. Yet, speed comes with trade-offs.

The Bill removes some statutory consultation requirements which could expose projects to political and social risk. Frequent NPS updates may complicate long-term investment decisions. The message is clear: expect a leaner process, but don’t underestimate the complexity of adapting to new rules. You’ll need agile strategies, robust stakeholder engagement, and proactive risk management to navigate this evolving landscape.

Grid Connection Reform

Grid delays have been one of the biggest obstacles to delivering clean energy infrastructure in the UK. The current ‘first come, first served’ approach rewards speed of application rather than project readiness, leaving shovel-ready schemes stranded behind speculative or slow-moving projects. It also ignores the wider system by failing to account for technology mix, locational efficiency, or the strategic planning needed to optimise cost and security across the network. In short, the process is no longer fit for purpose.

The Bill seeks to hardwire reform into law, complementing Ofgem and the National Energy System Operator’s shift to a ‘first ready, first connected’ model[1]. Time-limited powers will allow the Secretary of State and Ofgem to prioritise the connections queue and intervene by amending electricity licences, industry codes, and connection agreements where necessary to prioritise projects aligned with strategic energy plans such as Clean Power 2030.

NESO and Distribution Network Operators will be required to apply locational and technological criteria when sequencing connections, ensuring that the grid evolves in step with national decarbonisation and security objectives.

If you have well-prepared, strategically located projects, you’ll stand to benefit from accelerated access, while speculative schemes will find themselves pushed down the queue.

Long-Duration Electricity Storage (LDES)

Intermittency of renewable energy sources is the Achilles’ heel of Britain’s clean energy system. If Britain is serious about becoming a clean energy superpower, LDES offers one of the most promising solutions. Yet investment has stalled for decades, leaving the system exposed to volatility and curtailment costs.

The Bill aims to change that by imposing a duty on Ofgem to deliver a cap and floor regime for LDES, a model that has been used to unlock investment in interconnectors for years. This will give you revenue certainty without distorting returns, paving the way for assets that integrate renewables and cut system costs.

Government analysis suggests that deploying 20GW of 24-hour LDES could save £24 billion in system costs between 2030 and 2050[2], a significant figure that underscores its strategic importance. The implications are clear: LDES is no longer a niche technology but a cornerstone of the future grid. If you act now, you can secure a foothold in a market that has the potential to become the next era of energy infrastructure.

Offshore Wind Commissioning

Britain’s offshore wind ambitions are colliding with a regulatory framework designed for a different era. Under the current regime, you can transmit electricity without a transmission licence for just 18 months during commissioning. This window worked when projects averaged 330MW but looks unrealistic for today’s gigawatt-scale farms and increasingly complex transmission assets. The result is a growing risk of technical delays that could trigger compliance breaches and force emergency interventions.

The Bill recognises that the scale and complexity of offshore infrastructure has outpaced the original rules and offers a pragmatic solution by extending the Generator Commissioning Clause from 18 to 27 months. The change reduces your risk of costly shutdowns and contractual uncertainty during Offshore Transmission Owner transfer negotiations, while preserving the integrity of the ‘unbundling rules’ (generation licence holders are not permitted to also be transmission licence holders).

In practice, this extension buys you breathing space for projects critical to meeting Clean Power 2030 targets. It signals that regulation is adapting to reality, a welcome move for investors and developers navigating one of the most ambitious offshore build-outs in the world.

Electric Vehicle Infrastructure

The transition to electric vehicles isn’t just about consumer choice – it hinges on a charging network that is reliable, accessible, and deployed at pace to support the government’s clean energy and transport goals. The Bill streamlines approvals for street works by removing duplicative licensing requirements, giving charge point operators access to permits, and amending the Highways Act to prevent unnecessary permissions.

This means you’ll face fewer bureaucratic hurdles and benefit from faster deployment of public charge points. By making installation quicker, easier, and cheaper, the reforms promise not just convenience for drivers, but a more comprehensive and resilient charging network across England – a regulatory nudge that could unlock private investment and accelerate the electrification of transport. Over time, these measures could foster competitive markets, drive down costs for consumers, and ensure equitable access to charging facilities.

The Planning and Infrastructure Bill: How we can help you

The Planning and Infrastructure Bill signals a clear intent to modernise a system that has struggled to keep pace with Britain’s clean energy ambitions. By tackling outdated policy frameworks, grid connection delays, and regulatory friction points, the reforms promise a leaner, more strategic approach to infrastructure delivery.

Yet, speed comes with trade-offs. Frequent policy updates, new prioritisation criteria, and evolving market mechanisms will demand agility from developers and investors alike. If you anticipate these shifts – aligning your projects with strategic plans, embracing readiness and engaging early – you’ll be best placed in this new landscape. For the rest, the risk isn’t just delay – it’s being left behind in Britain’s clean energy transition.

Our Infrastructure and Energy and Planning teams are closely tracking Planning and Infrastructure Bill developments and our specialists can provide advice and support to clients looking to better understand the implications of these reforms. Specifically, we can:

• Assess the impact of the Bill on your business model, contracts, and investment strategy.
• Help you to align your projects and bids with the Bill once it’s enacted.
• Help you understand, apply and stay up-to-date with legal and regulatory developments.
• Provide legal, strategic and practical advice and support in relation to your infrastructure and energy projects as well as related statutory consent and planning applications
• Provide commercially-focused, cross-disciplinary advice and transactional assistance in connection with infrastructure and energy developments and financings.
• Help secure grant funding, including ‘green finance’, or other responsible investments to fund infrastructure and energy developments.
• Provide risk management and effective dispute resolution strategies if/when any issues do arise.

If you’d like to discuss how these changes might affect your organisation or project, contact any member of our team.

[1] Factsheet: Critical infrastructure reforms – GOV.UK

[2] The Infrastructure Planning (Onshore Wind and Solar Generation) Order 2025

[3] Grid connection reform: Accelerating demand side projects – Walker Morris

[4] Guide to the Planning and Infrastructure Bill – GOV.UK