Electricity Act 1989

Public inquiries

4 (1) Where in accordance with paragraph 2(2) or 3(2) above a public inquiry is to be held in respect of an application for consent under section 36 or 37 of this Act, the Secretary of State shall inform the applicant accordingly; and the applicant shall in two successive weeks publish a notice stating—

(a) the fact that the application has been made, and the purpose of it, together with a description of the land to which it relates;

(b) a place in the locality where a copy of the application, and of the map referred to in it, can be inspected; and

(c) the place, date and time of the public inquiry.

(2) A notice under sub-paragraph (1) above shall be published in one or more local newspapers circulating in the locality in which the land in question is situated, or circulating respectively in the several localities in which different parts of that land are situated, as the applicant may consider appropriate.

(3) If it appears to the Secretary of State that, in addition to the publication of a notice in accordance with sub-paragraphs (1) and (2) above, further notification of the public inquiry should be given (either by the service of notices, or by advertisement, or in any other way) in order to secure that the information specified in paragraphs (a) to (c) of sub-paragraph (1) above is sufficiently made known to persons in the locality, the Secretary of State may direct the applicant to take such further steps for that purpose as may be specified in the direction.

(4) Where in accordance with paragraph 2(2) or 3(2) above a public inquiry is to be held in respect of an application for consent under section 36 or 37 of this Act and the Secretary of State is proceeding concurrently as mentioned in section 61(2) or (4) of this Act, the public inquiry shall extend to all the matters arising in the concurrent proceedings, and any notice of the inquiry (in addition to any other matters required to be stated in it) shall indicate the extent of the inquiry accordingly.

(5) In the application of this paragraph to Scotland, for sub-paragraphs (1) to (3) there shall be substituted the following sub-paragraph—

“(1) Where in accordance with paragraph 2(2) or 3(2) above a public inquiry is to be held, and it appears to the Secretary of State that in addition to any public notice of such an inquiry any further notification concerning the inquiry is necessary or expedient (either by way of service of notice upon any person or in any other way), the Secretary of State may direct the applicant to take such further steps for this purpose as may be specified in the direction.”