Consents library
Legislation and guidance, in one place.
The consents that come up on infrastructure projects, linked to the current source. Legislation links open the latest revised version on legislation.gov.uk.
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DCO and NSIP process
Consenting route, EIA and national policy for nationally significant infrastructure.
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Planning Act 2008The DCO regime for nationally significant infrastructure in England and, for some energy projects, Wales.
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Infrastructure Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017EIA requirements for NSIPs, including scoping, PEIR and the Environmental Statement.
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Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017EIA for TCPA applications, including associated and enabling works outside the DCO.
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Town and Country Planning Act 1990Planning permission, conditions and discharge outside primary powers.
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National Policy Statements for energy infrastructureEN-1 to EN-7. The 2025 revisions to EN-1, EN-3 and EN-5 came into force on 6 January 2026.
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Planning Inspectorate NSIP advice pagesReplaces the old numbered advice notes, including EIA, HRA, cumulative effects and linear projects.
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National Infrastructure Planning guidance portalGovernment guidance on each stage of the DCO process.
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Planning Inspectorate register of applicationsEvery NSIP since 2008, with stage and key dates. See also our energy DCO tracker.
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Electricity Act 1989Section 36 (generating stations) and section 37 (overhead lines) consents in Scotland.
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Energy Consents UnitScottish Government unit handling section 36 and 37 applications.
Water and drainage
Discharges, abstraction, works in or near watercourses and trade effluent.
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Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016Water discharge, groundwater, flood risk activity and waste permits.
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Discharges to surface water and groundwater: environmental permitsEnvironment Agency guidance, including dewatering and site run-off.
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Flood risk activities: environmental permitsWorks in, under, over or near main rivers, flood defences and sea defences.
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Water Resources Act 1991Abstraction and impounding licensing.
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Apply for a water abstraction or impounding licenceIncluding temporary dewatering abstractions.
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Land Drainage Act 1991Section 23 ordinary watercourse consent from the lead local flood authority or internal drainage board.
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Water Industry Act 1991Section 118 trade effluent consent from the sewerage undertaker.
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Water Environment (Water Framework Directive) (England and Wales) Regulations 2017River basin objectives that underpin WFD compliance assessments.
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Pollution prevention for businessesEnvironment Agency guidance on oil storage, spill response and site drainage.
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NRW permits and permissionsPermits, licences and marine licensing in Wales.
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Environmental Authorisations (Scotland) Regulations 2018Integrated framework now covering water activities in Scotland, which previously sat under CAR.
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SEPA water activitiesGeneral binding rules, registrations and permits, including construction run-off.
Noise and vibration
Construction noise consents and policy.
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Control of Pollution Act 1974, section 61Prior consent for construction works. The local authority must decide within 28 days.
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Control of Pollution Act 1974, section 60Local authority notices controlling construction noise.
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Environmental Protection Act 1990Part III statutory nuisance, including section 82 proceedings.
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Noise policy statement for EnglandLOAEL and SOAEL concepts used in EIA noise assessments.
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BS 5228-1 and BS 5228-2Code of practice for noise and vibration control on construction and open sites. Purchase from BSI.
Ecology and protected species
Species protection, licensing, protected sites and biodiversity net gain.
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Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017European protected species, habitats sites and Habitats Regulations Assessment.
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Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981Wild birds, schedule 5 animals, schedule 8 plants and SSSIs.
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Protection of Badgers Act 1992Sett interference requires a licence.
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Environment Act 2021Mandatory biodiversity net gain and the wider environmental framework.
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Hedgerows Regulations 1997Removal notices for countryside hedgerows.
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Invasive Alien Species (Enforcement and Permitting) Order 2019Controls on species of special concern.
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Protected species and development: advice for local planning authoritiesNatural England standing advice, with links to every species page.
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Wildlife licences: when you need to applyNatural England individual, class and organisational licences.
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European protected species: apply for a mitigation licence (A12)Application form and method statement template.
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Construction near protected areas and wildlifeDeveloper guidance on protected sites and species.
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Biodiversity net gainGuidance for developers, land managers and authorities.
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Statutory biodiversity metric tools and guidesThe current statutory metric calculation tool and user guide.
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NRW species licensingProtected species licensing in Wales.
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Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 1994European protected species and habitats sites in Scotland.
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Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004SSSIs and species protection in Scotland.
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NatureScot: planning and development — protected speciesSpecies standing advice for development in Scotland.
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NatureScot licensingSpecies licensing, including development licences.
Waste and materials
Duty of care, exemptions, permits and reuse of excavated materials.
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Environmental Protection Act 1990, section 34Waste duty of care.
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Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2011Waste hierarchy and transfer note requirements.
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Hazardous Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2005Consignment notes and hazardous waste controls.
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Waste exemption guidesIncluding U1 and T5 exemptions commonly used on construction sites.
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CL:AIRE Definition of Waste: Code of PracticeMaterials management plans and qualified person declarations for reuse of excavated materials.
Heritage and landscape
Scheduled monuments, listed buildings and the historic environment.
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Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979Scheduled monument consent.
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Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990Listed building consent and conservation areas.
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Ancient woodland, ancient trees and veteran trees: adviceNatural England and Forestry Commission standing advice.
Marine and coastal
Offshore cables, landfalls and works below mean high water springs.
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Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009Marine licensing, which can be deemed within a DCO.
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Marine Management OrganisationMarine licensing in English waters.
Maps and data
Constraints data for screening, scoping and route selection.
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MAGICDesignated sites, priority habitats, protected landscapes and agri-environment data.
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Flood map for planningFlood zones and flood risk information for planning.
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Natural England Open Data GeoportalDownloadable GIS layers for designated sites and habitats.
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National Heritage List for EnglandListed buildings, scheduled monuments and registered parks.
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DataMapWalesPublic sector spatial data for Wales.
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NatureScot SiteLinkProtected areas in Scotland, with citations and condition data.
Links checked 12 November 2026. On legislation.gov.uk, look for the “changes to legislation” banner, which shows amendments not yet applied to the text. This library is a starting point, not legal advice.