Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects

As part of our work advocating for nature in planning projects across Suffolk, we engage in Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) to ensure that these major schemes have as little impact on wildlife as possible.

NSIPs are large scale development schemes relating to energy, transport, water, or waste which require a type of consent known as “development consent”. These include: energy generation (nuclear power stations, windfarms, solar farms), major electricity lines, major roads and railway lines, waste and water (reservoirs, waste water treatment plants), and major pipelines.

As the name suggests, NSIPs are major projects of national significance, so the decisions on applications are made by national government, unlike ordinary planning applications which are decided by local councils. Applications for such major developments are handled by the Planning Inspectorate (PINS).

How does Suffolk Wildlife Trust engage in NSIPs?

Normally developers will consult us about any NSIPs they are proposing which might affect the natural environment at the “pre-application” stage. Developers employ environmental consultants to assess the effects of their development on the environment. We will discuss with the developer and their consultant the scope which their environmental assessments need to cover, and we will work with them to ensure their assessments are comprehensive and accurate.

The scale of the likely impact on the natural environment will determine how much time we devote to each case. The greater the likely impact the proposal will have on statutory sites, County Wildlife Sites, our nature reserves, or key protected species the greater our involvement is likely to be.

We will also look for opportunities to enhance and recover nature, in line with our ’30 by 30’ ambition for 30% of Suffolk’s land and sea to be well-managed for nature by 2030. We always seek to achieve 20% biodiversity net gain for wildlife from all developments. We often work collaboratively with other conservation organisations such as Natural England, RSPB, and neighbouring Wildlife Trusts to achieve the best results for nature.

What impact can NSIPs have on nature?

We are in the middle of twin crises for biodiversity and climate - both globally and here in the UK - and the two are inextricably linked. Climate change is driving nature’s decline, and the loss of wildlife and wild places leaves us ill-equipped to reduce carbon emissions and adapt to changing weather patterns and extreme weather events. One cannot be solved without the other.

We know from experience that restoring nature can help soak up carbon emissions (known as natural solutions to climate change) whilst contributing many additional benefits. When healthy, our natural habitats can reduce the risk of flooding, help prevent coastal erosion, improve people’s health and wellbeing, maintain healthy soils, clean water, and support pollinators needed for our crops.

Nature itself is at risk from climate change, but if helped to recover, its potential to store carbon does mean it can help us to turn the tide on the climate catastrophe.

NSIPs - particularly for energy generation - are a vital part of the solution to the biodiversity and climate crises as they can help us reduce our reliance on fossil fuels for energy. In common with the rest of East Anglia, Suffolk has many energy-related NSIPs, because of the amount of offshore wind energy projects off our coast and a number of solar farms on land which take advantage of our relatively sunny climate.

How we can our energy infrastructure be more wildlife-friendly?

One of the most important ways of reducing harm to nature from new developments is a strategic approach; where the need, scale and location of multiple projects is planned in advance to enable them to go ahead in the right locations, using shared infrastructure and maximising their sustainable use of resources.

We are already engaging with many energy generation and related transmission projects such as Sizewell C (nuclear), Sunnica (solar), East Anglia Offshore (offshore wind), Bramford to Twinstead, Norwich to Tilbury, and Sea Link and LionLink (electricity transmission on land and at sea). Although we welcome projects in principle which contribute to mitigating the climate crisis by reducing fossil fuel use, we are always looking to ensure that they avoid impacts on nature through their scale and location.

Decisions taken by national government will not always put nature first, as it might be considered that there is over-riding public interest which leads to damaging projects going ahead. In such circumstances we will seek to ensure that any impacts on nature are taken into account and that realistic, deliverable compensation is put in place. For example by restoring or recreating habitats elsewhere. In addition, we will seek 20% biodiversity net gain from any project so that there is more nature being put into recovery than is being lost.

How can I engage with NSIPs?

You can comment on the proposal to the developer during the ‘pre-application’ stage and register as an ‘interested party’ with the developer to ensure you can participate in the process of examination by PINS.

At times, we might ask members to support our response to certain projects where we think that there will be disproportionate damage to nature; in those circumstances we will outline our case and encourage members to write in support of it.