Transport Committee
National Policy Statement for Ports

The National Policy Statement for Ports (Ports NPS) sets out the
planning framework for the development of port infrastructure in England
and reserved trust ports in Wales. It guides decision-makers and applicants
on the approval of Development Consent Orders for Nationally Significant
Infrastructure Projects, aiming to streamline the planning process and
ensure applications are assessed with regard to national priorities.

The Government decided to review and update the original 2012 Ports NPS,
in order to reflect changes in policy, technology and the economic context
over the past decade. The draft revised Ports NPS, published in June 2025,
reaffirms the long-term need for expanded port capacity. It aims to support
decarbonisation and biodiversity and to clarify the relationship between
port development and wider planning frameworks.

Stakeholders who contributed to our inquiry broadly supported
the direction of the draft revised Ports NPS, particularly its continued
presumption in favour of development and its market-led approach to
investment in this sector which plays a vital role in trade, energy and
economic growth. We welcome the revised version, and the Government’s
commitment to review National Policy Statements on a more regular
basis in future.
Our inquiry also identified areas for improvement to ensure that the
final NPS is robust against legal challenge and responsive to the needs of
the ports sector.

Non-freight activities should be included in port demand forecasts. The role
of ports in facilitating offshore energy development should be recognised by
granting ports Critical National Priority status, which should also assist in
protecting sites from harmful development.

In order to meet the goal of the NPS in streamlining planning, the
document should contain provisions on deemed marine licences and
make its provisions on dredging less onerous. The applicability of the
NPS to projects directed into the DCO process should also be clarified.
The demands made of port development in terms of design should
be reviewed

n order to support decarbonisation, the final NPS should articulate
more clearly the priority for supporting modal shift in onward transport
from ports, and set out expectations for facilitating electricity grid supply
and connections. The Government must also address the implications of
the Finch judgment and insert guidance in the document on how emissions
should be assessed for the purposes of Environmental Impact Assessments

https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/50196/documents/270844/default/