The government has published guidance about national infrastructure planning which members of the public may also find helpful. See the National Infrastructure Planning Guidance Portal. The guidance should be read alongside the Planning Act 2008 (the Planning Act).

This advice is non-statutory. However, the Planning Inspectorate’s advice about running the infrastructure planning system and matters of process is drawn from good practice and applicants and others should follow our recommendations. It is intended to complement the legislation, regulations and guidance issued by government and is produced under section 51 of the Planning Act.

How to register to speak at, or attend, a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project event

The following are known as NSIP events:

• The preliminary meeting
• Open floor hearings
• Issue specific hearings
• Compulsory acquisition hearings
• Accompanied site inspections

The preliminary meeting and hearing events can be held online only or in a suitable venue with some people and organisations attending online and some in person, this is called a ‘blended event’.

Anyone can attend the preliminary meeting or a hearing in person at a venue but only interested parties have a right to request to speak. Only interested parties can request to attend an accompanied site inspection. See the Planning Inspectorate’s Advice for members of the public – Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects and the people and organisations involved in the process for more information about interested parties.

See the Planning Inspectorate’s Advice for members of the public – The stages of the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project process and how you can have your say and What to expect at a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project event for more information about events.

You will need to complete a form to register to speak at the preliminary meeting or a hearing, or to attend an accompanied site inspection. You will also need to register if you wish to attend a blended event in person and not speak. You do not need to register if you just wish to watch an event online (see Watching the Preliminary Meeting or a hearing). Everyone must register individually.

What you will need to register to attend the Preliminary Meeting or hearing and NOT speak

Blended events

To register to attend the venue only and not speak, you will need your:

• interested party reference number (if you have one)
• full name
• address, email and telephone number
• confirmation that you will be attending in person at the venue

It is important the case team have all the information needed by the deadline so that the practical arrangements can be made such as making sure there are enough seats provided at the venue.

Online only events

If the event is online only you should not register to attend if you do not want to speak. Instead, you will be able to watch the livestream or the recording of the event. See Watching the Preliminary Meeting or a hearing

Watching the preliminary meeting or hearing

If members of the public decide they just want to watch the preliminary meeting or a hearing and not speak then there are 3 options:

1. They can watch the event online as it happens via a livestream. They will be able to click on a hyperlink that will be available on the project information page of Find a National Infrastructure Project website just before the event starts
2. They can watch a recording of the event after it has finished. The video recording and a transcript of what was said will be available on the project information page of the Find a National Infrastructure Project website shortly after the event has finished
3. For blended events people can attend in person at the venue to watch

What you will need to register to speak at the preliminary meeting or hearing

Before registering to speak see Important information about speaking at the preliminary meeting or a hearing.

To register to speak you will need your:

• interested party reference number. See the ‘Keeping everyone informed and your interested party reference number’ section of the Planning Inspectorate’s Advice for members of the public – How to register to have your say and make a relevant representation.
• full name
• address, email and telephone number
• for blended events - confirmation of whether you will be speaking online or in person at the venue
• for hearings - confirmation of the hearings you wish to speak at
• for the preliminary meeting or hearings - confirmation of the agenda item(s) you want to speak about and brief details of the topics you would like to raise
• for compulsory acquisition hearings - the plot numbers of the relevant land provided in the Book of Reference and the Land Plans. See the affected persons section of the Planning Inspectorate’s Advice for members of the public - Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects and the people and organisations involved in the process
• for the preliminary meeting or hearing - the examination library reference number (with paragraph / page number where appropriate) of any documents you wish to refer to. See the examination library section of the Planning Inspectorate’s Advice for members of the public – Guidance for submitted representations or comments

It is important that the case team have all the information needed by the deadline so that the practical arrangements can be made such as preparing name plates to indicate where those speaking at a venue should sit.

What happens after you have registered to speak at the preliminary meeting or hearing

Interested parties who have registered to speak at the event will receive instructions shortly before the meeting or hearing that will explain how they can join or attend either:

• in person at a venue
• online using Microsoft Teams
• by telephone

The instructions may be sent as late as the day before the meeting or hearing.

What you will need to register to attend an accompanied site inspection

Before registering to attend see the ‘Accompanied Site Inspections’ section in the Planning Inspectorate’s Advice for members of the public – The stages of the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project process and how you can have your say.

To register to attend you will need your:

• interested party reference number. See the ‘Keeping everyone informed and your Interested Party Reference number’ section of the Planning Inspectorate’s Advice for members of the public - Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects and the people and organisations involved in the process
• full name
• address, email and telephone number
• confirmation of where you will join the site inspection if this is appropriate

It is important that the case team have all the information needed by the deadline so that the practical arrangements can be made such as making sure that enough transport is provided for everyone who will attend.