The Gas (Northern Ireland) Order 1996

[F1Requirements for major pipelines etcN.I.

38A.—(1) A consent under

(a)Article 35 in relation to the construction of a major pipeline; or

(b)Article 37 in relation to the construction of a gas storage facility,

shall not be granted unless the pipeline or facility, as the case may be, meets the published criteria and may be granted subject to such conditions as appear to the Authority to be necessary or expedient to ensure that it does so.

(2) Any direction under Article 36 in relation to the modification of a pipeline shall not be granted unless the modification meets the published criteria and may be granted subject to such conditions as appear to the Authority to be necessary or expedient to ensure that it does so.

(3) Any direction given under Article 37 in relation to an increase in the capacity of a gas storage facility shall not be granted unless the facility meets the published criteria and may be granted subject to such conditions as appear to the Authority to be necessary or expedient to ensure that it does so.

(4) Where the Authority refuses to grant an application for a consent under Article 35 or 37 or a direction under Article 36 or 38 the authority shall by notice in writing—

(a)inform the person making the application of the fact;

(b)give him the reasons for that refusal; and

(c)inform him of any right to challenge the refusal.

(5) In this Article “published criteria” means the criteria determined by the Department from time to time for the purposes of and in accordance with Article 4(2) of the Directive and published by it.

(6) This Article does not apply in relation to any pipeline or facility to which Article 2 of the Commission Decision applies.]