NIPA consultation response to Ofgem
October 19, 2017
Following the Secretary of State’s granting of development consent for National Grid’s project in January 2016, National Grid has now applied to Ofgem for construction funding. Ofgem has consulted on its views on National Grid’s application, concluding that the cost of mitigation measures (specifically the use of the T-Pylon) has not been adequately justified yet.
NIPA has identified that the handling of the planning -regulatory interface in this case could set undesirable precedents for the future projects and as such calls on Ofgem to review the way in which it engages in the consenting of NSIPs so it has proper regard to the principles of the pre-application process, in particular its requirement for consultative, front-loaded engagement.
NIPA would be keen to hear from members with similarly challenging planning-regulatory relationships to gauge the prevalence of the issue and the need for additional focussed work.
