Heat Networks (Scotland) Act 2021

33 Form and manner etc. of applications under Part 2

(1) The Scottish Ministers may determine—

(a) the form and manner in which a relevant application is to be made,

(b) the information (including the information in the form of a document) that is to be included in a relevant application.

(2) In determining under subsection (1)(b) the information that is to be included in a relevant application, the Scottish Ministers may determine that a relevant application of such description as may be specified in the determination must include a community engagement report.

(3) A “community engagement report”, in relation to a relevant application, is a report describing—

(a) the community engagement undertaken by the applicant in relation to the proposed application before making the application in accordance with any guidance issued under section 34(1), and

(b) how the applicant has taken account of any representations received by virtue of the community engagement before making the application.

(4) The Scottish Ministers must arrange for any determination under subsection (1) to be published in such manner as they consider appropriate.

(5) The appropriate consent authority need not consider a relevant application that does not comply with a requirement determined under subsection (1).

(6) Before making a determination under subsection (1), the Scottish Ministers must consult local authorities and such other persons as they consider appropriate.

(7) In this section and sections 34 and 35, a “relevant application” means—

(a) a heat network consent application,

(b) a heat network consent modification application,

(c) an application for a consent, agreement or approval required by a condition to which a heat network consent is subject.