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Advice to Turley Associates

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Enquiry

From
Turley Associates
Date advice given
4 February 2011
Enquiry type
Email

1)Does the submission of this application constitute a planning application? 2)Has a Statement of Community Consultation been prepared for this application? If so where is it available to view? 3)What are the avenues of community participation available for having an input at the design stage rather than after the application has been submitted?

Advice given

  1. At present this proposal is at the early pre-application stage. Formal consultation has not begun, however, in accordance with our policy of openness we publish a list of anticipated projects and any advice we have given on them on our website. In accordance with the Planning Act 2008 ("the Act"), applicants have a statutory requirement to publicise their proposals and carry out extensive formal consultation prior to the submission of a formal application for development consent. As part of this application, they can seek for more than just planning permission. The Act has made provisions for a more unified consent regime by reducing the need for other consents as far as possible. For example within a development consent order (DCO) an applicant can include provisions for development associated with the proposed NSIP such as the compulsory acquisition of land. Schedule 5 of the Act lists 38 matters which may be included within a DCO.

  2. A Statement of Community Consultation (SoCC) has not been published.

The promoter is required to consult with relevant local authorities on the contents of the SoCC, enabling it to make any necessary amendments before it is publicised. Once the SoCC has been finalised the applicant must publish it in a newspaper circulating in the vicinity of the proposals land and carry out consultation in line with the contents of the SoCC.

In light of this, we advise that you contact the promoter to ascertain when the SoCC is likely to be produced. The applicants contact details are as follows:

Angela Piearce (Consultation Programme Leader) Sizewell Nuclear New Build, FREEPOST LON20574, London, W1E 3EZ

Tel: 08001976102 E-mail: mail@sizewellnewbuild.co.uk or enquiries@edfconsultation.info Website: http://sizewell.edfenergyconsultation.info/home

  1. The process under the the Act emphasises the importance of the pre-application stage. In principle, comprehensive consultation at this stage should aid a projects progression, enabling the application to be as developed as possible when submitted to the IPC, minimising the likelihood of new issues being raised during examination. The opportunities to input into the design process will be determined by the promoter, having regard to any formal government/IPC guidance and comments by the local authorities. These opportunities will be set out in the SoCC. The promoter is required to have regard to comments it receives during formal pre-application consultation and to show this in its consultation report submitted as part of an application. Therefore we encourage anyone with an interest in a proposed application to make their views known to the developer as part of the developer's pre-application consultation.