The government has published guidance about national infrastructure planning which members of the public may also find helpful. See National infrastructure planning guidance. 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.government.

What happens at 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
• site inspections

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 for more information about events.

Only members of the public who are interested parties have a right to request to speak at the preliminary meeting or a hearing and 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.

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’.

What happens at a preliminary meeting or hearing on the day?

Interested parties who have told the case team that they want to speak at the meeting or hearing are asked to join the event in good time, at least 15 minutes before the start, either at the venue or online. They will need to give their name to the case team so their arrival can be registered.

Interested parties who have registered to speak, either online or at a venue, will receive instructions by email, usually the day before the event. This will include a hyperlink to click on to join the event using Microsoft Teams. If a person has registered to speak in person at the venue but is then unexpectedly not able to attend in person, they can still join the event and speak online by clicking on the hyperlink.

The instructions will also include a phone number which can be used to join the event if anyone is unexpectedly not able to use the internet.

For those speaking online, when they click on the hyperlink they will be held in a ‘lobby’ area, like a waiting room, until the case team admit them into the online event. When they have been admitted they can give their name to the case team.

The Examining Authority will not wait for late arrivals. If someone is attending a venue just to watch the event they do not need to give their name to the case team and can take a seat in the audience.

The case team will be available to help and to answer any questions either online or at the venue. If anyone needs support to take part, for example needs to use a hearing loop or has access requirements, they can contact the case team.

How the Examining Authority will join the preliminary meeting or hearing

For blended events the Examining Authority will enter the room and sit at a table with microphones at the front of the room. Sometimes one or more of the Inspectors may join the event online at the same time.

If the meeting or hearing is being held online only, the Examining Authority will switch on their camera and microphone so that interested parties who have joined online will be able to see and hear the Inspector or Inspectors on their screens. Everyone else will be asked to switch off their camera and microphone until they are invited to speak by the Examining Authority.

What the preliminary meeting or hearing room will look like for a blended event

In a venue there may be tables with microphones set out in front of the Examining Authority in a horseshoe shape. The tables will have names on so that interested parties who have registered to speak know where to sit. There could be tables for the applicant and for the local authorities and other groups or organisations. If a lot of interested parties have registered to speak then some people may need to sit at the front of the audience. They would then need to approach a table with a microphone, or use a hand-held microphone, when the Examining Authority invites them to speak. The case team will give the person the hand-held microphone.

Interested parties who have joined the event online will be able to see and hear what is happening in the room on their screens. Anyone in the room will be able to see and hear those who have joined the event online on a large screen in the room.

For blended open floor hearing events the room may be set up like a theatre with the Examining Authority at the front facing rows of seating. The applicant will usually sit at the back of the room and everyone else can sit where they like in the audience. There may be a table set up with a microphone at the front of the audience, facing the Examining Authority. As the Examining Authority invites people to speak they should make their way to the table so that they can speak into the microphone. In some cases, the Examining Authority may invite people to speak using a hand-held microphone and a member of the case team will hand this out.

If the event is being held online only, the Examining Authority will invite people to speak one at a time. When invited the person speaking should turn on their camera and microphone and speak to the Examining Authority. At least one Inspector will always have their camera on. Whilst other Inspectors may have their cameras switched off, they will still be in the event listening to what is said and taking notes.

The start of the preliminary meeting or hearing

When it is time to start the Examining Authority will make sure that the livestream of the event is working, that the recording has started and that everyone can hear. For a blended event the large screen in the room will have live captions to show what is being said. The Examining Authority will then introduce themselves.

The Examining Authority will ask those that wish to speak to introduce themselves and confirm if they are speaking for themselves or on behalf of someone else. Anyone who speaks must say their name each time they speak so that this is recorded.

Members of the public should remember that the Examining Authority will run the meeting or hearing according to the agenda. If the Examining Authority considers that someone is not speaking about the current agenda item they may interrupt them and ask them to stick to the matter that is being discussed.

The Examining Authority has the power to control the event and if they consider that someone is continually disrupting it that person may be asked to leave.

The display of promotional material by the applicant, or campaign banners or material by members of the public is not permitted, either online or at a venue.

What happens after the preliminary meeting?

The Examining Authority will close the preliminary meeting when all the items on the agenda have been considered. The examination stage begins after the preliminary meeting has been closed. The video recording and a transcript of the meeting will be published on the project information page of the Find a National Infrastructure Project website.

The Examining Authority will consider all the comments and finalise the examination timetable.

What happens after a hearing?

The Examining Authority may have taken ‘action points’ from the hearing. These will be published on the project information page of the Find a National Infrastructure Project website along with the video recording and a transcript of the meeting or hearing.

What happens at an accompanied site inspection on the day?

Interested parties who have told the case team that they will be attending at the start of the site inspection are asked to arrive at the meeting point in good time, at least 15 minutes before the start, and give their name to the case team so their arrival can be registered. The Examining Authority will not wait for late arrivals.

The case team will be available to help and to answer any questions. If anyone needs support to take part, for example they have access requirements, they should speak to the case team.

Before the site inspection starts the Examining Authority will introduce themselves and explain the procedures for the site inspection. This will include a reminder that interested parties are not able to talk to the Examining Authority about their views on the project. The applicant will usually give a safety briefing.

If interested parties are joining the site inspection at various locations after it has started the case team will keep them updated by telephone if the arrival time at the location where they will join changes.

If householders, occupiers and landowners refuse to allow some people accompanying the Examining Authority onto their land the Examining Authority will decide whether to proceed with that part of the inspection. They may ask those refused access to wait outside.

The itinerary will include rest breaks and time for lunch. Lunch is not usually provided and people attending the site inspection will need to make their own arrangements.

What happens after an accompanied site inspection?

If the applicant provided a pack of information which included maps, plans or documents that have not already been sent to the Examining Authority then these will be published on the project information page of the Find a National Infrastructure Project website shortly after the site inspection.