Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what minimum standards of pre-application consultation her Department expects of privately developed carbon capture projects such as Peak Clusters; and what powers exist to act where those standards are not met.

Following the implementation of relevant Planning and Infrastructure Act powers on 24 July 2026, the statutory requirement for applicants seeking development consent, including privately developed carbon capture projects such as Peak Clusters, to undertake pre-application consultation has been removed.

Government guidance, which can be found on gov.uk here, sets out expectations for proportionate, meaningful, and early engagement with local authorities, local communities and other interested parties before an application is submitted.