County council “fundamentally disagrees” with plan to end statutory consultations for major infrastructure projects

Speaking at a national infrastructure conference hosted by the local authority on Wednesday (11 June), Cllr Richard Rout, Suffolk County Council's Cabinet Member for Devolution, said the council "fundamentally disagrees" with the proposal, adding that residents "need more and better consultation, not less".

The Government announced plans to end statutory consultation requirements for major infrastructure projects in April by way of amending the Planning and Infrastructure Bill.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) claimed the amendments would help deliver clean energy projects, public transport links, and other major infrastructure at least a year faster on average.

However, Cllr Route said: "Suffolk has one of the greatest concentrations of NSIPs in the UK, and for me it's important to ensure that local communities are considered first-and-foremost by local authorities, project promoters and government.

"Today there were some robust discussions around government's proposals to scrap the statutory duty to consult for NSIPs. This is something that the county council fundamentally disagrees with - our communities need more and better consultation, not less."

Suffolk County Council is home to a number of NSIPs, including the Sizewell C nuclear power station, the Gull Wing bridge, National Grid upgrades, solar farms and offshore wind farms.

Adam Carey