Advice to WYG
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- From
- WYG
- Date advice given
- 8 April 2014
- Enquiry type
Query from the applicant regarding suitability of deposit locations for the application documents, and the format in which application documents should be provided to these deposit locations.
Advice given
Thank you for your email regarding deposit locations. We have sought to provide advice to the queries in your email in two parts:
(a) Are you able to advise whether the locations as listed in the SoCC are suitable for deposit copies of the DCO submission to be placed:
Firstly, please note that it is for the applicant to use its own judgement when considering the suitability of deposit locations.
Secondly, applicants are advised that where the proposed development consists a linear scheme, it is helpful to consider more deposit locations to make the application documents available for public inspection. When identifying the suitability of the venue, you may wish to consider its population density and location. In general, documents should be made available to the public in a way that is reasonably convenient for people living in the vicinity of the land where the development is proposed, perhaps you may therefore wish to consider having your deposit locations in the vicinity of the land near the main elements of the project. It should be noted that when choosing deposit locations the following should be considered:
? availability of free internet access; ? availability of printing and photocopying facilities and details of charges. In the case where these facilities are not provided within the venue, details of where and when documents may be printed/copied.
Please also note that venues should also be easily accessible to all users.
(b) Is PINS happy for CD copies of the DCO submission to be sent to these locations? (some of the libraries and centres are quite small and may struggle to accommodate the DCO in totality)
The applicant will need to send its application documents to deposit locations no sooner than once the application has been accepted for examination. Section 56 of the Act requires the applicant to publish a notice of the accepted application in the relevant newspapers and at intervals of not more than 5 kilometres along the route, as per Regulations 9 (1), 4 (2) and 9(3) of The Infrastructure Planning (Applications: Prescribed Forms and Procedures) Regulations 2010. The same Reg 9(4) of these Regulations states that the notice must include a ?statement that a copy of the application form and its accompanying documents, plans and maps are available for inspection free of charge at the places (including at least one address in the vicinity of the proposed development) and times set out in the notice.? The Regulations therefore do not explicitly state whether the applicant must make their application documents available for inspection in the hard or electronic form.
It would be helpful if locations chosen can support free internet access, have printing facilities and that staff at the locations are able to assist the public. If the application is accepted, this would then enable examination documents to also be made available by the Planning Inspectorate at the same electronic deposit locations.
It should be noted however, that it is good practice for the applicant to provide some hard copies of the application documents at deposit locations to ensure that all members of the community have fair access to the information. It is therefore recommended that the applicant chooses, for example, four main deposit locations where hard copies can still be stored and made available to the public for inspection. As above, this is for the applicant to make its judgement based on the knowledge of its project and the area within which the proposed development is sited.
I hope this is useful however please do get in touch should you have any further queries.