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Advice to Mark Watts

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Enquiry

From
Mark Watts
Date advice given
19 June 2014
Enquiry type
Phone

Questions regarding the process for making represenations and queries regarding taking part in the examination process

Advice given

This application was submitted to the Planning Inspectorate on 10 April 2014. There is a period of 28 days from 10 April to decide whether or not to accept it. This decision should be made not later than Thursday 8 May 2014.

The Secretary of State?s decision as to whether or not to accept an application for examination must accord with the provisions of section 55 of the PA 2008. Amongst other things, the application must be of a standard the Secretary of State considers satisfactory to proceed to examination and the applicant?s pre-application consultation should have complied with the statutory procedure. Please see link to the checklist:

Link to Checklist

Issues related to the merits of an application, such as the location of the proposal, can only be considered during the examination of an application. If an application is accepted for examination, the applicant is, amongst other things, required to publicise the acceptance for at least two successive weeks in a local newspaper. A period for the making of ?relevant representations? is also opened via the Planning Inspectorate?s website.

Interested parties can take part in the examination of the above application for development consent which has been submitted to the Planning Inspectorate (on behalf of the Secretary of State) and you can become an interested party if you make a relevant representation. Everyone who has registered as an interested party in relation to an application is given the opportunity to provide a more detailed written representation, supported with relevant information and evidence, by the deadline set out in the examination timetable. The examination is first and foremost a written process, based upon the relevant and written representations of interested parties and the written responses to questions asked by the Examining Authority.

As written evidence is such an important part of the examination, it is essential that you make any points you wish to make in writing, before the deadlines set by the Examining Authority.

The Planning Inspectorate has published a series of advice notes which explain the process, including information on how to get involved. These are available at the following link:

http://infrastructure.planningportal.gov.uk/legislation-and-advice/advice-notes/

I would draw your attention in particular to advice notes 8.1 through 8.5.