Suffolk County Council expects to engage with NSIP (Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project) promoters early on in their project development. This ensures proper understanding, minimisation, mitigation, and compensation for adverse impacts. It also maximises opportunities for community benefits, ecology improvements, enhanced landscapes, and better amenities. With experience from around 20 prior NSIPs, Suffolk County Council understands local authority requirements and can professionally engage with developers.
The Council's approach to critical energy and climate adaptive infrastructure proposals is outlined in its Energy and Climate Adaptive Infrastructure Policy, approved by Cabinet on 16 May 2023.
To support the policy, the Council has published guidance documents for project promoters, setting out its expectations and offer to promoters when dealing with NSIPs.
Supplementary guidance for NSIP developers and promoters
Expectations for Planning Performance Agreements (PPAs) for NSIPs
Suffolk County Council (SCC) expects of all NSIP developers in Suffolk to enter into a Planning Performance Agreement.
The details and principles for NSIP PPAs are set out in the guidance:
Supplementary guidance for large solar schemes
The guidance sets out key principles for delivering acceptable solar projects. It is intended the Council will critically co-design projects with developers to achieve the highest standards of design, implementation, and mitigation measures. It also seeks to maximise opportunities such as community engagement and benefits.
