The public consultation on the draft National Policy Statements (NPS) for energy infrastructure closes on Monday 22nd Feb 2010.
Subject to the consultation and Parliamentary scrutiny, the Government intends to finalise and formally approve the energy National Policy Statements in 2010.
These National Policy Statements would then be used by the Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC) when it makes decisions on applications for development consent for nationally significant energy infrastructure.
The current draft documents EN1 and EN5 (see Resources page here: National Policy Statements) are written on the assumption that overhead pylons are the only economic method of electricity transmission. If these documents remain unchanged when the IPC reviews National Grid’s application, pylons will be the default accepted option. Clearly if we can change the NPS then we have a chance to affect the decision of the IPC.
The document available here: National_Policy_Statement_Consultation_Guidance_EN1_and_EN5 includes suggested comments to make in response to the NPS consultation. The Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has said that responses need to be factually based and unique i.e. they wont just count the number of responses!
Feel free to extract, cut and paste etc from the attached report. It is VITAL that we respond to DECC even if it is only to make just one point.
Address for consultation is: energynpsconsultation@opm.co.uk
or post
Robin Clarke
OPM
252b Gray’s Inn Road
London
WC1X 8XG
