Oliver Blower is leading the improvements to the Inspectorate’s Applications Service. In this post he explains the developments being made to the online service for nationally significant infrastructure projects (NSIPs).
What is the Applications service and what are we improving?
The Applications service is one of the three main services offered by the Inspectorate (the other two are Appeals and Examinations). It primarily includes our work to examine and make recommendations on nationally significant infrastructure project applications.
These are the largest and most complex cases we handle at the Inspectorate. They include projects such as large offshore windfarms, solar arrays, large road alterations and rail projects.
As part of our work to make regime improvements in line with the government’s NSIP reform action plan, we are modernising the National Infrastructure Planning website – an essential online hub for information and engagement about NSIPs.
The goal is to make it easier and more intuitive for people to take part in the NSIP process.
Phased approach
If you’ve been following our updates, then you may have heard about earlier phases of this work (see links at the foot of this post).
We've adopted a staged method, subtly updating specific website components, while maintaining legacy pages as gateways to these new additions.
New features overview
So far, several new features have been integrated into the service:
- Register to have your say: This feature enables users to submit a representation and register to become an interested party in the examination.
- Having your say guide: Clear guidelines for users on participation in significant infrastructure projects.
- Relevant representations page: View submissions from other participants.
- Project documents page: Allows users to search and access documents.
- Section 51 advice page: Users can view advice provided by the Inspectorate regarding specific projects.
- Examination timetable page: This page allows users to monitor procedural and examination deadlines, and clearly differentiates upcoming versus past deadlines.
- Have your say page: From the Examination timetable, this feature allows users to make comments about the items listed in the timetable.
These features are currently operational for 19 national infrastructure projects and can be accessed via the legacy project overview pages.
Unified project information page
We are pleased to inform that yesterday we successfully launched the first project information page! This consolidates the above features into a single page (as depicted in the image below). This integration enables users to navigate the platform consistently throughout a project's duration without transitioning between the legacy and updated site.
The Rampion 2 Offshore Windfarm project served as the initial test case for this integration. Plans are in place to extend this to all projects in the subsequent months.
Moreover, this page has been designed to communicate efficiently with our backend system to relay real-time updates to users.
Accessibility focus
Accessibility remains a priority in our redesign. The interface has been developed with considerations for screen reader users and ensures ease of interaction for all users, regardless of their familiarity with the application process.
Future developments
While the project information page has been updated, many users still access projects through the legacy homepage or project search. Our upcoming focus includes updates to:
- the homepage
- project search and the register of applications
- general s51 advice
- legislation and advice sections.
These sections are currently undergoing design or development and are expected to be launched at the beginning of next year. We are also dedicated to refining the already launched sections based on feedback.
Your feedback helps to improve the service
Each new page provides a button at the top for giving feedback. If you use the site, we encourage you to share your feedback so that we can continuously improve the service.
Previous posts
- National Infrastructure Applications Service improves user experience with launch of examination stage
- New registration journey trialled by two national infrastructure applications, with more to follow
- Improving national infrastructure planning, one sprint at a time!
- Transforming our services: Appeals, applications and examinations
2 comments
Comment by James Gibson posted on
Good to see progress here - well done PINS. Is there an intention to:
1. Have a way of searching decisions chronologically - similar to the way that recent submitted applications appears on the home page? At the moment it seems to only be possible to search decided cases alphabetically. It would be far more useful to see recent decision making and related precedent.
2. Have a page or "feed" that shows the most recent changes to project pages across all projects? For those interested in tracking DCOs generally it is extremely time intensive monitoring activity across so many project pages (ie it is necessary to click into each one individually to see what has happened).
Thank you.
Comment by Peter Bond posted on
Hi James, thank you for the feedback and your great suggestions. I've passed these onto the project team who are certainly considering these in their programme of work. Get in touch if you have any further feedback or suggestions - <a href="mailto:applicationsfeedback@planninginspectorate.gov.uk">applicationsfeedback@planninginspectorate.gov.uk</a>