Spotlight: A £500m boost for UK battery storage, fresh NSIP reforms and government investment in rail

ENERGY

📰 UK energy future ‘not a binary choice’, says Forbes | The Independent

🗣️North Sea energy: speech by Michael Shanks at the Offshore Europe Conference 2025 |

Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and Michael Shanks MP

🗣️Debate: Planning and Infrastructure Bill - 1st Sep 2025 | House of Lords, Solar Farms vs. Food Security

📰Further NSIP reforms to speed process, cut costs | Solar Power Portal

📰 World’s largest sand battery switches on in huge boost to clean energy | The Independent

📰 NESO launches Energy Sector Digitalisation Plan | Solar Power Portal

📰 European Governments must get their act together on wind energy | WindEurope

📰 UK grid-scale battery storage gets £500m boost |  The Chemical Engineer

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INFRASTRUCTURE

✒️ £5 million of government funding for 26 innovative rail projects to boost passenger experience | Press Release from Department for Transport & Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill CBE

✒️£104 million government investment to deliver faster, more reliable travel for millions | Press Release from Department for Transport and The Rt Hon Heidi Alexander MP

📰 The UK has a 10-year Infrastructure Strategy: Now what? | PBC Today

📰 UK construction activity extends longest run of falls since 2020 | Reuters

📰 Government retreats on environmental reforms in Planning & Infrastructure Bill | PBC Today

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DEVELOPMENT

📰 UK wastewater policy delaying new homes, say HBF | PBC Today

📰 The plan to cut the gateway 2 backlog: Key points from Tuesday’s parliamentary hearings on the BSR | Building

📰 Opposition parties brand devo bill ‘centralising’ power grab | Local Government Chronicle (paywall)

📰 Affordable, sustainable, rural: How a group of volunteers embarrassed the government and built some of the best new homes in the country | Country Life

📰 McMahon: Abolishing committee system will provide 'clarity | Local Government Chronicle (paywall)

📰 Water companies and councils blamed for deepening housing crisis | The Times (paywall)

📰 McMahon: Abolishing committee system will provide 'clarity | Local Government Chronicle (paywall)