Proposed reforms to consenting, access and rights for network infrastructure did not go far enough to unblock the expansion needed for Clean Power 2030 and Net Zero 2050, the government has said, and in response to stakeholders it is considering more ambition changes.
The more ambitious plan follows a consultation entitled ‘Electricity Networks Infrastructure: Consents, Land Access and Rights’, held between 8 July and 2 September 2025, feedback and further reforms suggested by stakeholders in response to the consultation and discussed in two meetings of the government’s Land Access and Consents Working Group.
The government said upgrading and expanding the electricity network is “a national imperative, and we cannot afford delay” as well as being “foundational to our Industrial Strategy”.
It said the existing framework was not designed to support the pace or scale of infrastructure now required. Consent is required for too many low-risk cases; certain procedures are not fit for purpose: and some land rights processes lack clarity or long-term certainty.
The government will make changes to the existing process for applying for the grant of a ‘necessary wayleave’, including increasing the standard term for wayleaves from 15 to 40 years.
It will increase the permitted development threshold for electricity substations in England from 29 cubic metres to 45 cubic metres, to bring it in line with regulations in Scotland and allow network operators to deliver capacity upgrades more efficiently, support the expansion and reinforcement of the electricity distribution network, and reduce administrative burdens on local planning authorities. Consenting requirements will be reduced, for example for upgrades of voltage and from single-phase to three-phase overhead lines. It will also exempt more ‘minor works’ such as replacing open conductors with bundled conductors and allow wider permanent diversions.
Other reforms will remove some overhead networks from the ‘Nationally Significant Infrastructure’ process. It said, “This regime was originally designed to provide a proportionate and streamlined consenting route for the largest, most complex and most strategically important infrastructure projects. It is becoming increasingly clear that the current thresholds are too low”, inadvertently capturing electricity overhead line projects.
The government will change the thresholds for classifying electricity overhead lines to allow for a “more proportionate, faster and cost-effective consenting regime that will accelerate rollout of critical infrastructure and release capacity within the planning process”.
Finally it will give networks stronger access powers for electricity infrastructure.