Grid capacity moves up the agenda under new planning rules

In Brief

England’s new National Planning Policy Framework requires energy supply and network capacity to be considered when deciding where and when future development should be planned.

Planning authorities are expected to engage earlier with utilities, regulators and network operators to identify capacity constraints and infrastructure requirements.

Despite the changes, available grid connection capacity is not introduced as a general planning test for individual developments.

In Review

The UK Government has published the new National Planning Policy Framework, which replaces the last version that was published all the way back in December 2024. So, what’s new?

Well, as part of the updated framework, there’s a greater emphasis on electricity network capacity when deciding where future development should go. That’s good news, as it should mean the question of whether there is enough power available gets asked much earlier. The not so good news is that the framework does little to provide greater certainty over when projects will actually be able to connect.

Under the new policy, dubbed W1, development plans should be informed by early engagement between planning authorities, utilities, regulators and network operators so there is a clearer understanding of energy supply, network capacity and any additional infrastructure required. Those constraints should then be taken into account when deciding the location and phasing of planned growth.

That final point matters because it should make it harder for electricity supply to be treated as an afterthought.

A site may look perfectly viable on paper, but that can change quickly once its future power demand is properly understood. That is especially true for projects expected to support large amounts of EV charging, where the size and timing of the connection can shape everything from the site layout to when different parts of the scheme can actually be delivered.

The problem is that the new framework only goes so far.

The requirement to consider network capacity sits within the NPPF’s plan-making policies. So, while it should help shape where development happens and how it is phased, it does not mean individual projects will suddenly have more certainty over how much power they can get, what reinforcement may be needed or when a connection will be ready.

That is the gap at the heart of the new policy.

The same framework is encouraging more electrification, with EV charging, bus and rail depots and charging infrastructure for freight all given greater recognition. But recognising that these projects will need power is not the same as making that power available.

The NPPF should therefore make grid constraints more visible earlier in the process. What it does not do is solve them.

That means the risk remains much the same once a project moves from planning into delivery. A scheme can still have support in planning terms and then run into delays, extra costs or changes in scope because the required connection is not available when expected.

So while the updated framework is a useful step, its biggest benefit may simply be forcing the power question to be asked sooner. It doesn’t exactly make the megawatts appear.