The Planning Act 2008 introduced a new planning regime for nationally significant infrastructure projects, including nuclear power stations. Under this Act:
- The need for new nuclear infrastructure is addressed through a National Policy Statement (NPS).
- An Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC) was established to assess the local impacts of specific developments, rather than decisions being made by Ministers or local planning authorities.
- The IPC was later reformed; its functions were integrated into the Planning Inspectorate under the Localism Act 2011, with final decisions made by the Secretary of State.
Eight sites were confirmed as strategically suitable for new nuclear development: Hinkley Point, Oldbury, Sellafield, Sizewell, Wylfa, Bradwell, Hartlepool, and Heysham.