The day will include great networking opportunities, lunch, afternoon tea and refreshments. It’s the ideal forum for both promoters and those involved with NSIP proposals.

• 09.30 – Welcome and introduction
  Steven Norris, Chair, NIPA Council
• 09.35 – Delivering National Infrastructure
  Ministry for Housing, Communities, & Local Government
  > Other Whitehall Departments
  The Planning Inspectorate
• 10.35 – Panel: Thoughts and experience from local authorities and DCOs
  Panellists: Andrew Cook, Suffolk County Council
  Tess Bond, Somerset Council
  Mark Williets​​​​, North Kesteven District Council
  Chaired by Wendy Lane, Director, Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole Council
• 11.00 – Morning Coffee
• 11.25 – Workshop session on Infrastructure Planning and Delivery Reform
  
  Reform Area 2: Operational reform

  — Led by Vicki Redman, WBD, supported by Olivia Heininger, Burges Salmon

  The National Infrastructure Commission’s recent report identified inefficient consenting and compliance as one of four root causes of systemic failure to consistently deliver major infrastructure projects on time and to budget. In this workshop, delegates will consider how operational reforms from the NSIP Reform Action Plan are bedding-in and what more can be done to deliver better outcomes for all of those involved in infrastructure consenting. Join us to share your ideas and experiences for creating a more proportionate, timely and effective process for consenting Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects.

  Reform Area 4: Recognising the role of local communities and strengthening engagement

  — Led by Ben Copithorne, Camargue, supported by Jordan Martin, DWD

  With the national need for new investment and infrastructure so strong – from power and pylons to water and sustainable waste management – the equation to meaningfully engage and balance local input with predictable and successful consenting and delivery has never been more challenging. In this session we’ll invite views and experiences for what’s working well on community engagement and, in contrast, where we’re experiencing blockages. We want to probe success stories and ideas for enabling and enhancing stakeholder and community engagement. And we want to understand more about where and why promoters are seeing setbacks and challenges at a local level. The outcome of the session will flow forward into potential advice and guidance we can all use to make the process better.

  Reform Area 5: System capability – building a more diverse and resilient resourcing model

  — Led by Tom Carpen, Thames Water, supported by Harry Dent, WSP

  This reform area affects all participants in the system and the aims of the NSIP Reform Action Plan cannot be delivered by Government alone. This session will draw on the breadth and depth of delegates’ experiences to identify impacts of and opportunities from the recent reforms and uncover practical ideas for building capability and capacity across organisations. We will focus on three main questions: How can we make cost recovery effective for agencies and value for money for promoters, and what is the early experience?; How can we achieve collaborative working between promoters and statutory consultees and other interested parties?; What can NIPA do to encourage and support education and skills development within the industry to build more system capability and capacity?

  
  
  Report back to Conference from the three workshop groups
• 12:30 – Lunch and networking
• 13:30 – Panel: DCO implementation and delivery in practice
  Panellists: Phil Emison, Costain, Sarah Williamson, Laing O'Rourke and Lizzie Barnes, Balfour Beatty
  Chaired by Viki James, Ardent
• 14:20 – Realising better outcomes for the natural environment – All matters environmental gain
  Julia Baker, Mott MacDonald – Biodiversity Net Gain
  Toby Gibbs, Logika – Environmental Net Gain
  Celestia Godbehere, Renewables UK – Marine Net Gain
• 15:00 – Afternoon Tea
• 15:20 – Jan Bessell, NIPA Board Chair, Pinsent Masons in conversation with Natalie Prosser, Office for Environmental Protection and Margaret Read, National Infrastructure Commission
• 15:50 – Panel: Case law update
  Ruchi Parekh, Cornerstone Barristers
  Jonathan Welch, FTB - Francis Taylor Building
  Victoria Hutton, 39 Essex Chambers
  Matthew Henderson, Landmark Chambers
  Chaired by Michael Humphries KC, FTB - Francis Taylor Building
• 16:55 – Concluding thoughts from the day
  Steven Norris, Chair, NIPA Council
• 17:00 – Drinks Reception
• 18:00 – Close

Registration will take place between 0845 and 0925 and the day will close at 1700 followed by a drinks reception until 1800.

Please note the NIPA Annual Conference is subject to change and further updates.