Chapter 8The Planning System
R35On Track

Streamline regulatory justification

Streamline regulatory justification

Full Recommendation Text

Propose legislation that would deem the grant of a planning permission, the completion of Stage 2 of the GDA, or the grant of a nuclear site licence for a nuclear installation to be a justified practice.

The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs should issue a Regulation 12 determination that 'the use of ionising radiation for the generation of electricity from nuclear energy using uranium oxide fuel of low enrichment in fissile content in light water cooled, water moderated thermal reactors' is justified.

Given we are not persuaded that there is a legal impediment to this route, in the event this target is not met, Government should propose amending the regulations via primary legislation, deeming that light-water reactors are deemed to be justified.

Update Timeline
On Track

Government Response: Regulatory justification application within six months

The Government will work with GBE-N to submit a regulatory justification application to DEFRA within six months for all Light Water Reactors. It is going further by using the experience gained from this process to streamline justification for other reactor classes, with legislative change if needed. This represents a concrete and time-bound commitment that directly addresses the Taskforce's concern about duplicative justification requirements, and the extension to non-LWR technologies exceeds the original scope.

Policy Paper • DESNZ, March 2026
Six-month timeline for LWR justification application; streamlining for other reactor classes planned.
Ownership

Primary Owner

DESNZ

Co-owners

DEFRA

Key Regulators

ONR
Delivery Timeline
31 Dec 27

Taskforce target: December 2027

Scope

Sectors

civil

Domains

licensingregulatory process
Implementation Type
primary legislationsecondary legislation

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