---
title: Planning and consenting for long-standing design
url: "https://www.systra.com/uk/expert_insights/planning-and-consenting-for-long-standing-design/"
type: expert_insights
date_published: 2025-11-06
date_modified: 2025-11-19
schema:
  @type: WebPage
language: en-GB
word_count: 1271
reading_time: 7 min
canonical: "https://www.systra.com/uk/expert_insights/planning-and-consenting-for-long-standing-design/"
featured_image: "https://www.systra.com/uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2025/11/featured-image-planning-and-consenting-for-long-standing-design.png"
type-insight:
  - Planning and consents
---

# Planning and consenting for long-standing design

![Planning and consenting for long-standing design](https://www.systra.com/uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2025/11/featured-image-planning-and-consenting-for-long-standing-design.png)

**World Town Planning Day is celebrated to highlight how good planning can support the creation of long-lasting high quality, creative infrastructure that delivers sustainable urban places for communities.**

The current planning system aims to create healthy, sustainable, long-lasting
communities supported by the infrastructure they need. However, is this system
going far enough to help deliver the full potential of new projects as
efficiently as possible?

### Planning is dynamic

The UK planning system aims to follow a straightforward process from start to
finish on any project. However, the heavily regulated and rules-based nature of
the current system often means it is influenced by the changing nature of
government policies and objectives.

This planning system is highly reactive to the policies and wishes of those in
government. Almost all governments make changes to the planning system to
deliver economic development and to improve our urban places, communities and
infrastructure through a faster and simplified planning system. The current
Labour Government’s stated aim is to overhaul the planning system primarily to
help deliver and improve major infrastructure
_“by simplifying consents for major projects with an aim to remove longstanding bureaucratic hurdles_
”.

But given the long timescales associated with major infrastructure projects,
they remain vulnerable to wider changes throughout their lifetime. This can
delay delivery or ultimately lead to the scrapping or downsizing of schemes.

![body-image-town-planning-map-wtpd-2025-insight](https://www.systra.com/uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2025/11/body-image-town-planning-map-wtpd-2025-insight.png)

### Simplified consenting of major projects

Major projects are currently at the forefront of the UK planning agenda, with
restrictions having lifted on onshore windfarms, the green light for Heathrow’s
third runway, and the commitment to delivering HS2, among many other projects.

The proposed reforms to the consenting of Nationally Significant Infrastructure
Projects (NSIPs) have been designed to provide a clearer and faster path to
project approval and a more predictable investment landscape. Allowing
simplification of the planning process ensures projects are more efficient. They
incorporate a fair bureaucratic process but also one that produces long-lasting
infrastructure which can enhance the existing framework. However, this ‘new’
streamlined planning system will only come into force once the Planning and
Infrastructure Bill 2024-25 achieves Royal Assent. The impact of any changes
will become apparent over the next few years.

For planners, the simplified system of NSIPs for major infrastructure projects
allows for a holistic approach. It helps formulate unique consenting strategies
alongside a better understanding of the specific context of a project. This will
further ensure that good design is incorporated.

### Consenting to design

Good design and well-designed buildings and infrastructure are essential parts
of a project which are required by national planning policy; clearly outlined in
the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), which was most recently updated
in December 2024.

The NPPF outlines the key and strategy of any planning project to deliver better
design. The creation of successful places and infrastructure, however, is highly
influenced by the skills of designers and their vision and commitment. Good
design stems from understanding the consenting process and knowing what planning
approach is most appropriate to the project being presented.

At SYSTRA, planners review each individual project to ensure the consenting
process is appropriate to the scale of the project. Specialists work with the
wider team to ensure good design is clearly integrated into the infrastructure,
building or place that is being developed. The depth and detail of consents 
depends on the size and intricacy of the project being put forward for planning
approval.

![body-image-systra-specialists-wtpd-2025-insight](https://www.systra.com/uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2025/11/body-image-systra-specialists-wtpd-2025-insight.png)

Any new project needs to be carefully planned and designed to ensure it delivers
its intended outcomes. Whether a project is underpinned by environmental,
construction, rail, energy or waste principles, planners can understand the
context of each application to establish what consent is required. At SYSTRA, we
are focused on providing consenting and planning expertise through a
multi-disciplinary team to deliver and simplify the consenting process for our
clients. We ensure the planning process is followed to implement good,
long-lasting infrastructure design. Delivering consents for several projects at
different scales and complexities is evidenced through our current work on HS2 
consents, Wicklow Rail Capacity Enhancement and Viridor Runcorn, as we aim to
fulfil the following:

- Planning permission and consent management
- Environmental permits
- Consultation and stakeholder engagement
- Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs)

Most works progress under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended)
which clearly sets out how schemes achieve consent. However, for major projects,
unique planning bills and consenting strategies ought to be followed. Whether
this will further complicate the planning system or in fact overhaul it to
ensure these ‘major projects’ are being constructed efficiently is something
that is in the process of being evidenced.

What is clear, is that large-scale infrastructure should be recognised for its
bold engineering and design. As planners, we also believe the planning, consents
and environmental aspects of these projects should be equally considered and
celebrated.

Prior to any construction, the consenting process evaluates all aspects of the
project, which certifies the correct consenting process to ensure a successful
outcome is delivered. The collaboration between disciplines is essential across
the design, engineering and construction to gain the correct approval and ensure
consent is granted.

One noticeable example, showcasing this collaboration, is the River Cole
viaducts and River Cole realignment which highlights how each individual
discipline has come together to create a sustainable, impressive and
long-lasting design. The engineering feat of these viaducts and river
realignment are highly impressive, but equally, by understanding the unique
consenting process of HS2, this has guided the whole team to make this approved
design a reality. The impressiveness of the viaduct structures along with the
River Cole realignment and viaduct installations showcases how different
consenting processes have come together to deliver a holistic and innovative 
design regarding both structures and environmental aspects being designed and
constructed.

![body-image-river-cole-realignment-completion-wtpd-2025-insight](https://www.systra.com/uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2025/11/body-image-river-cole-realignment-completion-wtpd-2025-insight.png)

_The River Cole realignment (HS2)_

### World Town Planning Day – ‘With planning we can’

The motto of World Town Planning Day 2025 (taking place on November 8th) is
“with planning we can” and as a planner, I would overwhelmingly agree.
Understanding the planning and consenting process of any project, no matter its
scale, allows us as planners to get the best out of all elements of a project,
whether that be the engineering, design or construction.

Planning is highly susceptible to change and reform. But as planners, by being
reactive to this change, we can help ensure all projects can be delivered in the
best way possible and know that ‘with good planning, we can!’.

![planning-and-consenting-for-long-standing-design-wtpd-2025](https://www.systra.com/uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2025/11/planning-and-consenting-for-long-standing-design-wtpd-2025.png)

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