Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects

Major infrastructure projects in energy, transport, water, waste, and waste water may be classified as Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) under the Planning Act 2008.

These large-scale projects require approval through a Development Consent Order (DCO) from the Secretary of State rather than a traditional planning application.

How does the process work?

Applications for NSIPs are submitted to the Planning Inspectorate, which examines the proposal and makes a recommendation to the Secretary of State, who makes the final decision.

The process from submission to determination typically takes around 15 months.

Find out more about the NSIP process on the Planning Inspectorate’s website.

Our role

As a host authority, Lincolnshire County Council (LCC) works alongside district councils to ensure that local communities, businesses, and the environment are considered.

Projects in Lincolnshire

View NSIP projects where LCC is a host authority

Statutory Consultee

We are formally consulted on NSIP applications and contribute throughout the process, from pre-application to examination and post-consent. Our key responsibilities include:

Submitting a Local Impact Report to outline how a project affects Lincolnshire
Providing written representations and responding to Planning Inspectorate questions
Participating in Examination Hearings

Our Local Impact Report will cover our areas of responsibility and where we have expertise, including (but not limited to) the following matters:

Planning (Minerals and Waste)
Economic Development including agricultural land
Transport and Highways including Rights of Way
Local Flood issues
Heritage and Archaeology
Ecology
Public Health
Climate Change/Energy

Other matters will be covered by our District/Borough Councils in their Local Impact Reports.

More information on the role of local authorities in the NSIP process.

Discharge of Requirements

Similar to planning conditions, some DCOs require developers to seek approval from LCC for specific details before construction can begin.

Have Your Say

Before submitting their application, the project promoter must consult the community.

Promoters usually advertise their consultations in local newspapers, dedicated websites, and/or by sending letters or flyers to nearby residents. The promoter will also send notifications to statutory consultees which include the parish, district and county councils.

The materials will include contact details and instructions on how to respond to the consultation. There is usually more than one consultation so you can view the proposals at an early stage and then more formally once more information is available.

Once a project is listed on the Planning Inspectorate’s website you can search for the project and sign up for email updates on the progress of the application.

If you want to participate in the examination of an NSIP, you will need to sign up for updates, as the promoter will notify you about key events and deadlines. You must register to have your say at the pre-examination stage.

To find out more about having your say on NSIPs, including how to access the registration page for making comments, please read the Planning Inspectorate's Having Your Say guide.

More information can be found about participating in an NSIP on the Planning Inspectorate’s website about participating in the process.

Discharge of requirement applications

Following a Development Consent Order (DCO) being made, a number of requirements may need to be discharged. The Discharging Authority will be specified in the DCO. This note sets out the information required by Lincolnshire County Council as part of the Discharge of Requirement (DoR) process.

Where Lincolnshire County Council is the Discharging Authority, please note the following:

Application Reference

All correspondence must clearly include the Planning Inspectorate (PINS) EN reference number associated with your project. This EN number is issued when the project is registered with PINS.

Email Submissions

All documentation, queries and formal submissions relating to Discharge of Requirements must be sent to our dedicated inbox: NSIPS@lincolnshire.gov.uk.

Payment

Payment for a Discharge of Requirements application is currently accepted via BACS only. The application fee for each Requirement or sub-Requirement will be set out in the DCO. We recommend confirming the correct fee with the Council’s Infrastructure Planning team before submitting your application to avoid delays. BACS payment details are available on request via the email above.

Note: Processing of DoR applications will only begin once full payment has been confirmed by the Council’s Income team.

Timescales for Determination

The timescales for determination of Discharge of Requirements applications are set out in the DCO. Requests for further information, either from Lincolnshire County Council or Relevant Consultees, may affect the determination timescale. Any changes to the determination date will be communicated clearly to the applicant during the process.

NSIP fees and chargeable services

We aim to work proactively with Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIP) promoters from the early stages of project development to ensure potential impacts are understood and addressed. We have significant experience of major infrastructure projects and can provide expert local knowledge and professional engagement throughout all stages of the Development Consent Order (DCO) process.

NSIPs place significant resource demands on local authorities who are a statutory consultee throughout the DCO process. From 8 June 2026, host local authorities have the legal power to recover reasonable costs for the provision of services in relation to NSIPs to ensure they are properly resourced and can effectively fulfil their responsibilities in respect of NSIPs. This provides a mechanism for local authorities to charge fees for relevant services in relation to NSIP proposals affecting their administrative area.

This statement sets out the fees and describes the relevant services in respect of which fees are charged by us as required by The Infrastructure Planning (Fees) Regulations 2010, as amended by The Infrastructure Planning (Fees) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 and The Infrastructure Planning (Fees) (Amendment) Regulations 2026.

Fee structure

We will initially seek to agree a Planning Performance Agreement (PPA) with developers at the earliest opportunity to formalise cost recovery arrangements, and establish a clear, mutually agreed, robust framework for engagement throughout the project lifecycle. Regardless of whether a PPA is in place, we will seek to recover reasonable costs incurred, on a full cost recovery basis, applying standard hourly rates for relevant services based on the actual time spent by officers on a project.

We charge an hourly rate of £130 (excluding VAT) which will be invoiced quarterly or in accordance with the terms set out in a PPA. The rate is index-linked and adjusted to account for inflation in April each year. Legal costs and any external specialist expertise will be set out separately as required.

In addition, we will apply our standard fees for statutory services where separate charging schedules exist, including the Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA), Heritage Services, and Highways. Upon request, we can provide estimated fees, for the purpose of cost recovery, covering the lifecycle of the project. For further information please email nsips@lincolnshire.gov.uk.

Chargeable services

We provide advisory services at every stage of the NSIP planning process. Under section 54A of the Planning Act 2008 relevant services covered by the fees regulations include advice, information or other assistance (including a response to a consultation) provided in connection with an application for an order granting development consent.

We will seek to recover costs in relation to the following services, where applicable:

planning
senior management
ecology, landscape and environment
historic environment, including archaeology
public rights of way
highways and transport
flood risk management and lead local flood authority
public health
community liaison
growth, skills and economic development
children's services (including education and schools infrastructure)
adult care and communitywellbeing
waste management
emergency planning
lincolnshire fire and rescue service
legal services
property
corporate services

Non-exhaustive details of relevant services provided by us are set out in the table below.

Stage	Services
Pre-application	providing advice on the approach to pre application consultation providing responses to pre-application consultations attendance at meetings and, or technical workshops providing technical advice and commenting on draft documents, including draft DCO
Pre-examination	producing a relevant representation preparing a local impact report
Examination	participating in hearings producing written submissions throughout agreeing updates to the statement of common ground responding to the examining authority's questions and requests for information agreeing side-agreements including highways agreements, protective provisions, and planning obligations
Decision	responding to consultations from the secretary of state engaging in pre-construction preparatory discussions
Post-decision	discharging requirements and responding to consultations to discharge requirements monitoring and compliance

NSIP News

For information on how the Council has responded to developers and government regarding certain NSIP proposals please visit the following pages:

It’s a pylon pile-on!
Councillors shocked at National Grids plans to run a string of huge pylons along the Lincolnshire coast.
County Views winter 2024 - Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects
In this winter survey, we're also asking about your views on Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) like pylons and solar parks in the county (CLOSED).
Two more huge solar farms ‘a slap in the face’ for Lincolnshire
County Councillor Colin Davie has reacted to the government’s announcements today that applications for both the Heckington Fen Solar Park and the West Burton Solar Project, have been granted consent.