Planning and development

The GB Network Access policy is designed to facilitate collaboration between National Grid Electricity System Operator (NGESO) and the Transmission Owners in Great Britain to deliver value for consumers in relation to the planning, management and operation of the electricity transmission systems in England, Wales and Scotland.

As part of these policy commitments and to ensure NGET has a fully transparent outage planning processes, National Grid Electricity Transmission (NGET) produces a series of annual Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to monitor outage planning performance and outage delivery.

The KPIs are set in appendix A of the GB Network Access Policy.
 Download document  
 

The data below reflects the plan performance for 2022/23, for any queries please get in touch at email address:
[email protected].
 Contact us.

To key performance indicators can be found here:
 Download document 

The GB Network Access Policy, is designed to facilitate collaboration between National Grid Electricity System Operator (NGESO) and the Transmission Owners in Great Britain to deliver value for consumers in relation to the planning, management and operation of the electricity transmission systems in England, Wales and Scotland.

This policy document is produced by the three companies who own the transmission networks in Great Britain.

GB Networks Access Policy

Our ‘Design guidelines for development near pylons and overhead lines’ are a practical toolkit for local authorities, developers and communities to use when planning development around our equipment. The guidelines promote the successful development of sites crossed by our equipment and the creation of well-designed places.

Download design guidelines for development near pylons and overhead lines

We have appointed Avison Young to review and respond to planning authority Development Plan Document consultations on our behalf.

To help ensure the continued safe operation of existing sites and equipment and to facilitate future infrastructure investment, National Grid wishes to be involved in the preparation, alteration and review of plans and strategies which may affect our equipment.

We ask that planning authorities remember to consult us on any Development Plan Document or site-specific proposals that could affect our infrastructure by emailing Avison Young at the address below.

[email protected]

To help ensure the continued safe operation of existing sites and equipment, National Grid should be consulted on planning applications which may affect our equipment.

Consultations should be emailed to our Asset Protection team at the address below.

[email protected]

We consult with local interest groups and residents whenever we are planning works that will have a high impact on a residential area or a site valued for its amenity. This also helps us to identify environmental issues that can be taken into account and more effectively mitigated.

For consultation to be most effective, it is done at an early stage where the results can be used to influence the design of a project.

When undertaking works that will have a less significant impact, we liaise with and inform affected residents according to the severity of that impact. We will take into account local biodiversity action plans and other local initiatives being undertaken by local communities.

Under the provisions of the Planning Act 2008 we have a duty to consult and engage with communities and stakeholders. We have decided to integrate our amenity duties and our community/stakeholder engagement duties into one document, which covers how we will meet these duties. 

We have recently reviewed our Schedule 9 statement. In preparing this revised version, we have consulted statutory bodies, non-government organisations, and representatives of other stakeholder groups. We have also drawn on our own experiences of delivering a wide range and scale of electricity projects. You can read more by downloading our stakeholder, community, and amenity policy document.

Download our stakeholder, community, and amenity policy document

We encourage developers, designers and contractors to contact our Asset Protection team when planning any works close to our electricity assets.

Please contact them on:

Telephone: 0800 001 4282

Email: [email protected]

Certain types of energy infrastructure fall within the categories of Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs), which require a Development Consent Order (DCO) under the Planning Act 2008. For National Grid, NSIPs include new overhead lines and pipelines.  Applications for DCOs are submitted to and examined by the Planning Inspectorate and determined by the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS).

Where we undertake electricity or gas works to connect a new energy customer, and their project is an NSIP, it may be possible for our network reinforcements to form part of the customer’s DCO application.  Where we have an NSIP proposal that is needed for a variety of reasons (not just to meet the needs of a single customer), or involves network reinforcements in advance of anticipated future energy developments, it will often be necessary for us to apply separately for a DCO.

Other types of new energy infrastructure might require planning permission from local planning authorities.  Examples can include new compressor stations, pressure reduction installations, block valves, and other above ground installations on our gas network. 

Major extensions to sites like these, together with temporary construction access onto classified roads, may need planning permission.  Where such works are needed in connection with a proposed NSIP, it may be possible to incorporate them into the DCO application as 'associated development'.

New or modified accesses on to classified roads, temporary or permanent culverts, outfalls and other drainage works may also require planning permission from the local planning authority.

We, as a statutory undertaker, benefit from Permitted Development rights under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, which allows us to undertake certain works without needing to submit applications for planning permission. 

This includes works to existing gas sites, including the installation of plant and equipment, and installation of new or extensions to existing buildings, subject to limitations.  Permitted development rights also allow the installation of buried gas pipelines subject to location, length and any likely significant environmental effects.

Permits or licences may be required from the Environment Agency or Natural Resources Wales for works in flood zones, where flood defenses are affected, or where rivers and watercourses are crossed.  Under local by-laws, approvals may be required from local drainage boards. Permits may also be required in relation to the operation of gas compressor sites. 

Licenses may be required when undertaking works in the vicinity of protected species and assents required when undertaking works within in or near to ecologically designated areas.

With the agreement of the relevant consenting bodies, permits or licences (secondary consents or approvals) may also be included in DCO applications to the Planning Inspectorate as 'ancillary matters'.

The Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 established marine planning and licensing authorities across the UK.  The Marine Management Organisation (England), Natural Resources Wales, and Marine Scotland are responsible for their respective territorial waters, including inshore (from Mean High Water to 12 nautical miles) and offshore (12 to 200 nautical miles).

A marine licence might be needed for activities in or over the sea, or on or under the seabed, which can include the installation of electric lines or pipelines or investigatory work such as intrusive surveys. Depending on the nature of the proposals there may also be overlaps with other consenting regimes, particularly where infrastructure comes ashore.  Certain activities are exempt from requiring marine licences. 

With the agreement of the marine authorities, permits, or licences may also be included in DCO applications to the Planning Inspectorate as 'ancillary matters'.