Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects: Advice on Habitats Regulations Assessments
Summary
The Planning Inspectorate has published non-statutory advice explaining how Habitats Regulations Assessments apply to Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects. It sets out the assessment stages, including screening, appropriate assessment and derogations, and reiterates that applicants must provide the information needed for decision-making under the relevant regulations.
Why it matters
Residential property surveyors may encounter NSIP-related schemes where protected sites, ecology constraints or planning conditions affect land, development potential or valuation assumptions. Understanding the HRA process helps surveyors identify environmental and regulatory risks that could influence project feasibility and client advice.
Key points
- Advice relates to NSIPs and Habitats Regulations Assessments.
- Sets out screening for likely significant effects, appropriate assessment and derogation tests.
- Applies to European sites and the National Site Network, including offshore marine sites beyond 12 nautical miles.
- Confirms the advice is non-statutory but intended to complement legislation and government guidance.
- Applicants remain responsible for compliance with policy, legislation, case law and guidance.
This is an RPSA summary of a publicly available article. The full content remains with the original publisher.
