The public's response to a consultation on the National Policy Statements (NPSs) on Energy has been welcomed by energy minister Lord Hunt.

Responses to the NPSs will inform decisions made by the body that decides on nationally significant infrastructure projects such as large wind farms and power stations - the Infrastructure Planning Commission.

Minister of State for energy Lord Hunt of Kings Heath said: "We are undertaking fundamental reform of the planning system which will result in a more efficient, transparent and accessible process. National Policy Statements are a vital part of these reforms, setting out the national need for new energy infrastructure.

"Listening to people's views and helping them find out more is vital to getting this process right. I'm pleased that so many people and organisations have taken part and given their views on how future decisions on where we locate power plants will be made."

After consultation on the NPSs has finished, proposals will continue to undergo parliamentary scrutiny. The Government intends to respond to issues raised both in the consultation, and through parliamentary scrutiny, later this year.

Copyright © Press Association 2010

www.energynpsconsultation.decc.gov.uk (National Policy Statements for Energy Infrastructure)

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Paul Brennan, Head of Morgan Cole's Energy and Environment team comments:

The National Policy Statements will be critical to the work of the Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC) which was established under the Planning Act 2008 to deal with applications for planning consent for major energy developments such as large wind farms, transmission lines and nuclear power station, as well as other major infrastructure developments. The Statements may also have a major bearing on applications for consent for smaller projects, such as sub-50MW generating stations which will continue to be processed at a local level. However, the fate of the IPC and the National Policy Statements remain in the balance; the Conservatives' policy green paper on planning, "Open Source Planning" proposes the abolition of the IPC and the subsumption of the National Policy Statements into a single National Planning Framework.

Paul Brennan can be contacted on 0118 955 3004 or by email.