Suffolk councillor says removing the need for judicial reviews will improve speed on future projects
MPs are meeting with councillors to discuss the country's 'nuclear roadmap'
A Suffolk councillor has told MPs that improving how communities are consulted on major infrastructure projects could reduce delays and limit the need for legal challenges.
Councillor Richard Rout, Suffolk County Council’s cabinet member for devolution, local government reform and nationally significant infrastructure projects, was speaking after giving evidence to a parliamentary committee examining the future of nuclear energy in the UK.
The session focused on how the Government might meet its long-term nuclear ambitions, including potential new projects and a proposed “nuclear roadmap”. More information on this can be found here.
Cllr Rout said Suffolk is in a “unique position” to contribute to the discussion due to the ongoing construction of Sizewell C on the county’s coast.
“I think what they’re looking at is what are the hurdles, what are the things that are getting in the way of the nuclear programme rolling out and how can the government meet its targets.”
He said the challenge for areas like Suffolk is balancing national benefits with local impacts.
“There’s a lot of investment and jobs and Sizewell C is going to bring a huge amount of that to Suffolk,” he said.
“Against, however, the local impacts… construction, impacts on tourism, noise, our environment, the list goes on and on.”
Community impact and input
Cllr Rout said while large-scale infrastructure can bring economic benefits, councils must continue to scrutinise developers to ensure local concerns are addressed.
“We as councils have to continue to hold them to account, but it is happening. It’s now down to us to make the best of it,” he added.
During the discussion, he also raised concerns about how the planning process for nationally significant infrastructure projects could be improved.
He suggested delays are often caused by a lack of effective early engagement with communities, rather than the legal processes themselves.
“The most important thing is… the developer understanding the community and then consulting with them to help shape the scheme,” he said.
Cllr Rout warned that attempts to speed up projects by reducing consultation could be counterproductive.
“At the moment, the government’s idea of… putting speed into the process is getting rid of consultation… I think that’s the wrong thing to look at,” he said.
Instead, he argued that better engagement from the outset could reduce the likelihood of judicial reviews being pursued later in the process.
“If you want to put speed into the process, that’s the best thing to look at,” he said.
He also highlighted the potential role of smaller nuclear technologies, such as small modular reactors (SMRs), which could be built in less constrained locations than existing sites like Sizewell.
“I think there are lots of sites around the country that could take SMRs and new nuclear,” he said, adding that Suffolk’s coastline is already heavily utilised for energy infrastructure.
The Government has committed to expanding nuclear capacity as part of its long-term energy strategy, with billions of pounds pledged towards new projects including Sizewell C.
Full details of any updated nuclear roadmap are expected to be set out in due course.