Advice to Emma Clowes
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- From
- Emma Clowes
- Date advice given
- 6 June 2014
- Enquiry type
The first round of consultations were held in Lockington, Castle Donington and Kegworth back in February 2014, however due to poor advertising, these exhibitions were deemed "inadequate", and therefore the developer, confirmed that a second set of exhibitions would be held in March / April 2014 with the correct and necessary advertising to take place, so that as many people were aware of the planned exhibitions as possible.
I consulted the planning inspectorate (Feb 2014) with regards to the previously poorly advertised exhibitions, and course of action, I should take, based on the "requirements of the developer". On the basis of the previous email (from the inspectorate), I contacted the developer, with no response. My concerns still continue, as I am yet to receive any leaflets in relation to the next set of exhibitions (which I have found out today have already started to take place) - can you please advise me, of how I should voice my concerns, as I feel very strongly that the devloper is not consulting with the local communities, in what is considered as a "nationally significant development"
Advice given
You ask how you can voice your concerns over the East Midlands Gateway Rail Freight Interchange scheme.
Further to the advice we provided in March, in response to your earlier email regarding the consultation carried out by the developer with respect to these proposals, you may wish to look at the developer?s project website page which describes how they are carrying out their consultation at http://www.eastmidlandsgateway.co.uk/consultation.php which also lists where the documents can be seen and how comments can be made. The page also has links to the consultation leaflet and exhibition boards.
The proposals are currently still at a pre-application stage. As described in our previous email, before submitting an application to the Planning Inspectorate, the developer is required to carry out extensive consultation on their proposals. If you feel that the applicant's pre-application consultation has been inadequately carried out, you may firstly seek resolution by approaching them. If, having done this, you remain unsatisfied with the consultation that has been carried out, you may wish to raise this matter with the relevant local authority.
Following on from this stage, when an application is submitted to the Planning Inspectorate, there will be a 28 day period during which a decision is taken by us on whether to accept the application for examination. One of the factors to be considered by the Planning Inspectorate is whether or not the developer?s consultation process has been adequate. We will invite the relevant local authorities to provide us with their comments on the adequacy of the applicant?s consultation. A local authority may decide to take into account any comments received from the public on this issue when they respond. The Planning Inspectorate, on behalf of the Secretary of State, must have regard to the local authority?s response on the adequacy of consultation in making its decision on whether to accept an application to proceed to be examined.
If the application is accepted for examination, there will be an opportunity for you then to register as an interested party to give your views to the Planning Inspectorate and participate in the examination by completing a relevant representation form. Details about how and when to register will be publicised by the developer in local newspapers and on site notices once an application is accepted.