How applicants should engage with Natural Resources Wales during the infrastructure consenting process.
Natural Resources Wales (NRW) is a statutory consultee for all significant infrastructure project (SIP) applications.
NRW has an important role in providing advice on environmental considerations and assessment requirements during the:
- pre-application stage
- application stage
- examination stages
NRW may also have a role after a decision has been made, where an Infrastructure Consent Order (ICO) is granted for a SIP.
For example, NRW may be:
- the discharging authority for certain requirements
- a consultee for the application to discharge a requirement
Where a consent has been deemed through the ICO, NRW may also have a role if it would be the consenting body for that consent.
Applicants should contact NRW as early as possible. This will help applicants:
- identify relevant environmental considerations and confirm the scope of environmental assessments required to support a SIP application
- understand requirements for deemed and extinguished consents through the ICO or separate consents for which NRW is the determining authority
- make arrangements for what advice will be requested from NRW
Information for prospective applicants on NRW’s statutory and non-statutory (discretionary) pre-application advice services for SIP projects is available on their website: Natural Resources Wales / Advice for developers proposing significant infrastructure projects
NRW’s services are chargeable up to full cost recovery.
Information on specific fees payable to NRW for services is available on their website: Natural Resources Wales / Fees for significant infrastructure projects
NRW will be publishing further advice on how to engage with them at each stage of the SIP process in due course. Applicants should check NRW’s website for the most up-to-date information.