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Cottam Solar Project Examination timetable

The examination timetable shows the dates of events and deadlines for submissions.

If you have registered to have your say, you can do this in the examination stage.

The examination stage

The examination opened on 5 September 2023

The examination closed on 5 March 2024

Upcoming deadlines and events

There are no deadlines and events

Past deadlines and events

22 August 2023 - Procedural Deadline A

Closed

Procedural Deadline A

Deadline for receipt by the ExA of:

  • Written submissions about how the application should be examined, including the draft Examination Timetable
  • Requests to register for the Preliminary Meeting
  • Requests to register for Open Floor Hearing 1
  • Requests to register for Issue Specific Hearing 1 regarding the draft Development Consent Order
  • Suggested locations for site inspections, including the reason for nomination, issues to be observed there and whether the location(s) require access to private land
  • Other

5 September 2023 - Preliminary Meeting

Closed

Preliminary Meeting

5 September 2023 - Open Floor Hearing 1

Closed

Open Floor Hearing 1

6 September 2023 - Issue Specific Hearing 1 regarding the draft Development Consent Order

Closed

Issue Specific Hearing 1 regarding the draft Development Consent Order

17 October 2023 - Deadline 1

Closed

Deadline 1

For receipt by the ExA of:

  • comments on Relevant Representations
  • Statements of Common Ground requested by the ExA
  • Local Impact Reports from local authorities
  • Written summaries of oral submissions made at Hearings held during the week commencing 4 September 2023
  • Written Representations and summaries for any that exceed 1500 words
  • Requests from Interested Parties to be heard at a further Open Floor Hearing
  • Requests by Affected Persons (defined in section 59(4) of the Planning Act 2008) to be heard at a Compulsory Acquisition Hearing
  • the Applicant’s proposed itinerary for an Accompanied Site Inspection (if required)
  • the Applicant’s updated documents (draft Development Consent Order)
  • the Applicant’s updated documents (Explanatory Memorandum)
  • the Applicant’s updated documents (Book of Reference)
  • the Applicant’s updated documents (Statement of Reasons)
  • the Applicant’s reports on progress (Report on the interrelationship with other National Infrastructure projects)
  • the Applicant’s reports on progress (Schedule of progress regarding objections and agreements in relation to Compulsory Acquisition, Temporary Possession, other land rights, and blight)
  • the Applicant’s reports on progress (Schedule of progress regarding Protective Provisions and Statutory Undertakers)
  • the Applicant’s reports on progress (Schedule of the latest versions of the Applicant’s submission documents and documents to be certified)
  • the Applicant’s reports on progress (Schedule of progress in securing other consents)
  • any other information requested by the ExA for this deadline
  • other

31 October 2023 - Publication of Examining Authority's (ExA's) First Written Questions (ExQ1)

Closed

Examining Authority's (ExA's) First Written Questions (ExQ1)

Publication of the ExA’s First Written Questions

21 November 2023 - Deadline 2

Closed

Deadline 2

For receipt by the ExA of:

  • comments on submissions for Deadline 1
  • responses to the ExA’s First Written Questions
  • updated Statements of Common Ground in clean and tracked changes versions
  • the Applicant’s updated documents (Report on the interrelationship with other National Infrastructure projects)
  • the Applicant’s updated documents (draft Development Consent Order)
  • the Applicant’s updated documents (Explanatory Memorandum)
  • the Applicant’s updated documents (Book of Reference)
  • the Applicant’s updated documents (Statement of Reasons)
  • the Applicant’s updated documents (Schedule of progress regarding objections and agreements in relation to Compulsory Acquisition, Temporary Possession, other land rights, and blight)
  • the Applicant’s updated documents (Schedule of progress regarding Protective Provisions and Statutory Undertakers)
  • the Applicant’s updated documents (Schedule of the latest versions of the Applicant’s submission documents and documents to be certified)
  • the Applicant’s updated documents (Schedule of progress in securing other consents)
  • any other information requested by the ExA for this deadline
  • other

4 December 2023 - Reserved week for Hearings commencing Monday 4 December 2023

Closed

Reserved week for Hearings commencing Monday 4 December 2023

Time reserved for hearings and an Accompanied Site Inspection (if required: Issue Specific Hearings Compulsory Acquisition Hearing Open Floor Hearing Accompanied Site Inspection

5 December 2023 - Issue Specific Hearing 2 - Environmental Matters

Closed

Issue Specific Hearing 2 - Environmental Matters

5 December 2023 - Issue Specific Hearing 3 - Environmental Matters

Closed

Issue Specific Hearing 3 - Environmental Matters

6 December 2023 - Issue Specific Hearing 4 - Environmental Matters

Closed

Issue Specific Hearing 4 - Environmental Matters

7 December 2023 - Compulsory Acquisition Hearing 1

Closed

Compulsory Acquisition Hearing 1

7 December 2023 - Open Floor Hearing 2

Closed

Open Floor Hearing 2

8 December 2023 - Issue Specific Hearing 5 - Draft Development Consent Order

Closed

Issue Specific Hearing 5 - Draft Development Consent Order

19 December 2023 - Deadline 3

Closed

Deadline 3

For receipt by the ExA of:

  • comments on submissions for Deadline 2
  • updated Statements of Common Ground in clean and tracked changes versions
  • written summaries of oral submissions made at Hearings held during the week commencing 4 December 2023
  • the Applicant’s updated documents (Report on the interrelationship with other National Infrastructure projects)
  • the Applicant’s updated documents (draft Development Consent Order)
  • the Applicant’s updated documents (Explanatory Memorandum)
  • the Applicant’s updated documents (Book of Reference)
  • the Applicant’s updated documents (Statement of Reasons)
  • the Applicant’s updated documents (Schedule of progress regarding objections and agreements in relation to Compulsory Acquisition, Temporary Possession, other land rights, and blight)
  • the Applicant’s updated documents (Schedule of progress regarding Protective Provisions and Statutory Undertakers)
  • the Applicant’s updated documents (Schedule of the latest versions of the Applicant’s submission documents and documents to be certified)
  • the Applicant’s updated documents (Schedule of progress in securing other consents)
  • any other information requested by the ExA for this deadline
  • other

16 January 2024 - Examining Authority's Second Written Questions (ExQ2) and Report on Implications for European Sites (if required)

Closed

Examining Authority's Second Written Questions (ExQ2) and Report on Implications for European Sites (if required)

Publication of:

the ExA’s Second Written Questions the Report on Implications for European Sites (if required)

28 January 2024 - Deadline 3A

Closed

Deadline 3A

For receipt by the ExA of:

  • Compulsory Acquisition Regulations Written Representations (CA Regulations WRs) relating to the effect of the change requests
  • Summaries of any Compulsory Acquisition Regulations Written Representations that exceed 1500 words
  • Any further information requested by the ExA under Rule 17 of the Examination Procedure Rules

30 January 2024 - Deadline 4

Closed

Deadline 4

For receipt by the ExA of:

  • responses to the ExA’s Second Written Questions
  • comments on submissions for Deadline 3
  • updated Statements of Common Ground in clean and tracked changes versions
  • written summaries of oral submissions made at Hearings held during the week commencing 4 December 2023
  • the Applicant’s final documents (draft Development Consent Order in the Statutory Instrument template with the Statutory Instrument template validation report)
  • the Applicant’s final documents (Explanatory Memorandum)
  • the Applicant’s updated documents (Report on the interrelationship with other National Infrastructure projects)
  • the Applicant’s updated documents (Book of Reference)
  • the Applicant’s updated documents (Statement of Reasons)
  • the Applicant’s updated documents (Schedule of progress regarding objections and agreements in relation to Compulsory Acquisition, Temporary Possession, other land rights, and blight)
  • the Applicant’s updated documents (Schedule of progress regarding Protective Provisions and Statutory Undertakers)
  • the Applicant’s updated documents (Schedule of the latest versions of the Applicant’s submission documents and documents to be certified)
  • the Applicant’s updated documents (Schedule of progress in securing other consents)
  • any other information requested by the ExA for this deadline
  • Requests from Compulsory Acquisition Regulations Interested Party to be heard at an Open Floor Hearing held under Regulation 16 of the CA Regulations
  • Requests from Compulsory Acquisition Regulations Interested Party to be heard at an Issue Specific Hearing held under Regulation 14 of the CA Regulations
  • Requests from Compulsory Acquisition Regulations Interested Party to be heard at a Compulsory Acquisition Hearing held under Regulation 15 of the CA Regulations
  • other

13 February 2024 - ExA’s schedule of changes to the draft Development Consent Order

Closed

ExA’s schedule of changes to the draft Development Consent Order

Publication by the ExA of: the ExA’s schedule of changes to the draft Development Consent Order

27 February 2024 - Deadline 5

Closed

Deadline 5

For receipt by the ExA of:

  • comments on submissions for Deadline 3A
  • comments on submissions for Deadline 4
  • comments on the ExA’s schedule of changes to the draft Development Consent Order
  • comments on the Report on Implications for European Sites (if required)
  • final Statements of Common Ground in clean and tracked changes versions
  • the Applicant’s final documents (Report on the interrelationship with other National Infrastructure projects)
  • the Applicant’s final documents (Book of Reference)
  • the Applicant’s final documents (Statement of Reasons) *the Applicant’s final documents (Schedule of progress regarding objections and agreements in relation to Compulsory Acquisition, Temporary Possession, other land rights, and blight)
  • the Applicant’s final documents (Schedule of progress regarding Protective Provisions and Statutory Undertakers)
  • the Applicant’s final documents (Schedule of the latest versions of the Applicant’s submission documents and documents to be certified)
  • the Applicant’s final documents (Schedule of progress in securing other consents)
  • any other information requested by the ExA for this deadline
  • other

28 February 2024 - Issue Specific Hearing under Regulation 14 of the CA Regulations (ISH6)

Closed

Issue Specific Hearing under Regulation 14 of the CA Regulations (ISH6)

28 February 2024 - Compulsory Acquisition Hearing under Regulation 15 of the CA Regulations (CAH2)

Closed

Compulsory Acquisition Hearing under Regulation 15 of the CA Regulations (CAH2)

28 February 2024 - Open Floor Hearing under Regulation 16 of the CA Regulations (OFH3)

Closed

Open Floor Hearing under Regulation 16 of the CA Regulations (OFH3)

5 March 2024 - Deadline 6

Closed

Deadline 6

For receipt by the ExA of:

  • summary statements from parties regarding matters that they have previously raised during the examination that have not been resolved to their satisfaction
  • comments on submissions for Deadline 5
  • any other information requested by the ExA for this deadline
  • Written summary of oral submissions at hearings held on Wednesday 28 and Thursday 29 February 2024
  • other

5 March 2024 - Conclusion of Examination for Cottam Solar Project

Closed

Conclusion of Examination for Cottam Solar Project

The ExA is under a duty to complete the examination of the application by the end of the period of six months beginning with the day after the close of the Preliminary Meeting.