NSIP Cost Recovery

On 15 May 2026, the Government published regulations enabling host local authorities involved in Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) to recover the costs of providing relevant services to applicants.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has updated their guidance (published in 2024) on cost recovery by public authorities to reflect the addition of host local authorities.

The regulations came into force on 8 June 2026. On the same day, the Planning Advisory Service (PAS) published its NSIP Cost Recovery Guidance & Toolkit. The guidance is intended to support both host local authorities and applicants as the new arrangements come into effect. It is a live document and will be updated as practice develops.

NIPA members played an important role in shaping this PAS guidance. A roundtable discussion held in April helped inform the content of the draft guidance, and feedback was then provided on a draft version of the guidance.

We look forward to continued engagement with PAS, including supporting future iterations as the guidance is applied in practice.

We would like to extend our thanks to the volunteer members from across NIPA who generously contributed their time, expertise, and thoughtful insights:

·       Stewart Patience (National Highways)

·       Joanna Camille-St. Marie (National Grid)

·       Tom Carpen (Thames Water & NIPA Board Chair)

·       Sarah Drljaca'(Ørsted & NIPA Board Member)

·       Matt Fox (Pinsent Masons & NIPA Council Member)

·       David Grattan (Grattan Planning & NIPA Policy and Practice Working Group Co-Lead)