First example of good documentation published

This entry reports on the publication of the first example of a recommended application document.

One of the actions that is part of the implementation plan for the 2014 review of the Planning Act 2008 regime is headed 'help in drafting development consent orders' but in fact also includes the highlighting of (other) examples of good documentation on the national infrastructure website.

The action was to publish examples 'from April 2014', so they had to get a move on to meet that, managing to do so on 29 April.

It pains me to say it as a competitive soul, but the example is not from one of the projects we have been working on. I will swallow my pride and nevertheless announce that the consultation report for the Triton Knoll offshore wind farm, promoted by RWE npower renewables, wins the prize for first 'good document'. The project is therefore likely to be a shoo-in for a 2014 nsippy. The so far single entry in the table of examples of good documentation can be found here.

The Planning Inspectorate (PINS) have helpfully included a 'why good?' column, just in case it is not immediately obvious, and for this particular consultation report it was 'clear and easy to navigate with useful process diagram near the start of the report'. Expect to see a few more 'process diagrams' in future consultation reports (near the start).

The Triton Knoll project was granted consent in July 2013. I wonder if there will be any examples of good documentation for projects still going through the system, or even refused or withdrawn.

Of the 16 other projects to have received consent so far, here are links to the application documents for six of them: North Doncaster rail chord, Heysham to M6 link road, Able Marine Energy Park, M1 junction 10a improvement, Norton Bridge rail improvement, north London reinforcement project. Just trying to be helpful to PINS...

The next action in the implementation plan is the publication of a pre-application prospectus from PINS, to happen this month, and then a consultation on further streamlining consents this 'spring', which I take to be by 21 June. All will be revealed here when they happen.