Planning and the strategic road network in England
Find out about National Highways' role in the planning system and how we are aiming to be a proactive planning partner.
Our role in the planning system
We are a statutory consultee in the planning system. You are encouraged to seek early advice from us if your development proposal:
- is likely to result in an adverse impact on the safety of, or queuing, on the strategic road network (SRN)
- is likely to prejudice the improvement, construction or maintenance of the SRN
- consists of or includes the construction, formation or laying out of access to or from the SRN
Additionally, you must consult us before you apply for a Development Consent Order (the ‘pre-application stage’) on nationally significant infrastructure projects, where this is likely to affect the operation of the SRN. Please see the section below on DCOs for further information about our approach to dealing with Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects.
The Network Management Map shows the location of roads we manage, which includes trunk motorways and major A roads.
Our pre-application service
Pre-application discussions are an effective means of gaining a good, early understanding of any issues that might have a bearing on the way in which the development is planned and/or delivered. This, in turn, helps avoid delays and difficulties further into the application process.
For most applications, depending on the nature of the site and the proposed development, you may submit a written scoping report and/or request a meeting with us. Where a meeting is arranged, we would encourage other relevant parties to attend as necessary, including the local planning and highway authorities. We would particularly recommend this for larger and more complex sites.
To submit a pre-application enquiry please provide us with the following information:
- your name and contact details, and if you’re acting on behalf of a client
- the postcode or grid reference of the site and a location plan showing the boundary of the proposed development
- a project description, including what you’re planning to build and the type of permission to be obtained
- the type of advice you want, for example a written response, face-to-face meeting and/or document review
- any relevant plans or reports
You should send your enquiry to the relevant regional planning team as listed below:
East of England: planningEE@nationalhighways.co.uk
Midlands: planningM@nationalhighways.co.uk
North West: planningNW@nationalhighways.co.uk
South East: planningSE@nationalhighways.co.uk
South West: planningSW@nationalhighways.co.uk
Yorkshire and North East: planningYNE@nationalhighways.co.uk
If you are unsure which regional team to contact you can view Regional leads by county and local authority.
A member of our planning team with knowledge and experience of the area will be assigned to assess and respond to your enquiry. We will advise whether the development proposal is likely to be of interest to us and of any known potential constraints to the proposed development. Where it is likely that a proposal will be considered unacceptable in principle, we will provide guidance as to what, if any, steps could be taken to address the identified concerns.
Where a meeting is requested, we will usually respond within 7 days and arrange this with you.
We will provide a final response to most pre-application requests within 21 days, with larger or more complex developments often requiring ongoing discussion beyond this period in accordance with an agreed timetable.
If a scoping report is to be prepared in advance of any initial meeting with us, we advise this includes:
- details of the development, such as location, access arrangements, use class, size or number of units, likely phasing, maximum number of parking spaces and any other relevant information
- proposed methodology for estimating the vehicular trip generation and distribution on the SRN, and resulting trip generation figures
- proposed methodology for assessing the impact of this trip generation on the SRN
- proposed methodology for assessing the environmental consequences of the transport impacts of the development
Our policy framework
When responding to planning applications we assess proposals based on their accordance with the Department for Transport Circular 01/2022. The Circular is the policy of the Secretary of State for Transport in relation to the SRN, and should be read in conjunction with the National Planning Policy Framework, National Policy Statements, Planning policy for traveller sites, National planning policy for waste, Planning Practice Guidance and all other material considerations.
This document is the direction made by the Secretary of State for Transport under section 77 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, which sets out the requirement for local planning authorities to consult the Secretary of State where it does not propose to determine a planning application in accordance with National Highways' formal recommendation.
In such circumstances, a local planning authority must not issue an approval decision otherwise than in accordance with one of the outcomes identified in article 5 of the Direction.
The Town and Country Planning (Development Affecting Trunk Roads) Direction 2018.
Further guidance
Our Planning Guide sets out further information and guidance about our role and approach to planning matters. It provides guidance for development promoters as well as those involved in plan-making or decision-taking in relation to any proposals which have the potential to impact on the SRN.
The Planning Guidance sets out our commitment to work with you to:
- consider the most appropriate locations for development
- develop strong policies and proposals that are sustainable, practical and well-designed
- make the best of opportunities around our routes
- assess potential impact on the strategic road network
- consider how best to deliver new development
- minimise adverse impact
- assess requirements for mitigation works
Our approach to Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs)
On 23 February 2023 the government published their Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects Reform Action Plan, which set out a number of reforms to improve the infrastructure consenting process. Within this action plan was a government commitment for some public bodies, which are also statutory consultees, to move towards full cost recovery for all services they provide within the NSIP consenting system.
On 23 October 2023 the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act received Royal Assent, and introduced an amendment to the Planning Act 2008 by inserting a new section 54A, which provides that the Secretary of State may make regulations for certain public authorities to charge fees for relevant services they provide in relation to NSIP applications.
Under this power, the Infrastructure Planning (Fees) Regulations 2010 (as amended) (“The Fees Regulations 2010”) have been amended to insert regulation 12A (plus Schedule 2) which provides that these prescribed public authorities are able to charge fees to the applicant for all relevant services they provide.
These regulations enable National Highways to charge for all our services in relation to NSIP applications, across all stages of the NSIP process. These charges are on a cost recovery basis and are not for profit.
More information on the regulations along with supporting guidance can be found on the DLUHC website.
Under these new powers, National Highways intends to recover all costs for each stage of the NSIP process:
- Pre-application
- Acceptance
- Pre-examination
- Examination
- Recommendation and decision
- Post-decision and implementation
For all new DCO schemes, National Highways will engage with the applicant either before or during the pre-application stage to discuss requirements and the likely scope of our services in relation to the NSIP application.
For existing DCO schemes, National Highways will engage with the applicant to confirm the transitional arrangements for introducing cost recovery in line with the new regulations. This will be dependent upon the current stage of the NSIP application and if there is already an existing cost agreement in place with us.
Details of our charges, including confirmation of the date we intend to begin recovering costs, will be set out in writing on a scheme-by-scheme basis.
Given the complexity and different potential impacts on the SRN across the portfolio of NSIPs, we will be utilising a time charge system with the costs recovered determined by the level of input required from National Highways in relation to your application.
Costs will be recovered for the full range of services and activities we provide in relation to the NSIP application, including any direct costs associated with planning advice, legal support and our response to statutory consultations, along with indirect costs relating to internal assessment and considerations and when providing advice to third parties such as DfT.
Costs will also be recovered for specialist engineering advice including, but not limited to, technical review of transport models and advice on geotechnics, structures and highway design for those projects that may require physical changes to our assets, or that may impact the safe operation of the SRN.
Our charges will be based on a schedule of rates, including those in relation to any external consultants. Rates applied for National Highways’ staff time will be informed by our pay scales, and the cost of staff overheads, which will be apportioned on a per capita basis. We will also fully recover charges for any expenses incurred as a result of the NSIP application, for example travel and subsistence costs incurred by either National Highways’ staff or our external consultants.
For National Highways to provide an estimate of costs, we would need to meet with you to discuss your application further.
Please contact us on the below email address to schedule a meeting with National Highways, in order that we can assess the expected scope of services for your NSIP. An estimate of costs to be recovered along with our payment schedule and invoicing arrangements will then be set out in writing within 28 days of our meeting, subject to us having received sufficient information on which to base our estimate.
Costs for both this initial meeting and the administration set up of our services will be recovered in full, at a charge of £500. Payment of this fee along with all other future phases of work will be invoiced monthly in arrears and will require settlement within 30 days upon receipt of each invoice.
The government introduced cost recovery to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the planning services and improve opportunities to engage and collaborate earlier in the consenting process.
If you have any questions relating to a Nationally Significant Infrastructure project, we would therefore urge you to contact us at the earliest possible opportunity by email: ThirdPartyInfrastructureGroup@nationalhighways.co.uk
Contact us
Where you require a response in relation to an individual development proposal, this should be directed to one our regional teams listed above.
If you have a general policy-related query please contact the Economic Development and Spatial Planning team: spatialplanning@nationalhighways.co.uk.
