Title page
Contents
Status of this document - draft for consultation 6
1. Introduction 7
Overview 7
Scope 7
Geographical coverage 8
Relationship to the National Planning Policy Framework and other planning guidance 8
Period of validity and review 9
Transitional provisions following review 9
Appraisal of Sustainability 10
Habitats Regulation Assessment 10
2. National networks 11
Freight 11
Roads 12
Railways 13
Rail freight 13
National networks in a greener world 14
3. The need for development of the national networks (Statement of Need) 17
Drivers of need for development of the national networks 17
The drivers of need for development of the national road network 20
Government's policy for addressing need of the national road network 24
The drivers of need for development of the national rail network 25
Government's policy for addressing need of the national rail network 30
Drivers of need for strategic rail freight interchanges 31
Government's policy for addressing need for SRFIs 34
4. General policies and considerations 37
General principles of assessment 37
Environmental Assessment 39
Habitats Regulation Assessment for internationally important nature sites 40
Alternatives 41
Biodiversity net gain 42
Criteria for good design for national network infrastructure 42
Climate change adaptation 44
Pollution control and other environmental regulatory regimes 46
Common law nuisance and statutory nuisance 47
Safety 48
Security considerations 50
Health 50
Accessibility 51
Strategic rail freight interchanges 52
5. Generic Impacts 54
Overview 54
Air quality and Emissions 55
Greenhouse Gas emissions 58
Biodiversity and nature conservation 60
Resource and Waste management 66
Civil and military aviation and defence interests 67
Coastal change and marine impacts 71
Dust, odour, artificial light, smoke, steam 74
Flood risk 75
Land contamination and instability 80
Landscape and visual impacts 81
Land Use, including Open Space, Green Infrastructure and Green Belt 85
Historic Environment 90
Noise and vibration 93
Socio-economic impacts 96
Water quality and resources 98
Impacts on transport networks 101
6. Endnotes 104
Table 1. Options to address need 35
Figure 1. Passenger journeys, Great Britain, quarterly data, 1 April 2018 to 30 June 2022 26