General development orders: approval of local planning authority
77.—(1) An application to the local planning authority for approval, as mentioned in regulation 75, must—
(a)give details of the development which is intended to be carried out; and
(b)be accompanied by—
(i)a copy of any relevant notification by the appropriate nature conservation body under regulation 76; and
(ii)any fee required to be paid.
(2) For the purposes of its consideration of the application the local planning authority must assume that the development is likely to have a relevant effect.
(3) The authority must send a copy of the application to the appropriate nature conservation body and must take account of any representations made by it.
(4) If in its representations the appropriate nature conservation body states its opinion that the development is not likely to have a relevant effect, the local planning authority must send a copy of the representations to the applicant.
(5) The sending of the copy of the representations to the applicant under paragraph (4) has the same effect as a notification by the appropriate nature conservation body of its opinion under regulation 76(4).
(6) In any other case in which the application has been sent to the appropriate nature conservation body, the local planning authority must, taking account of any representations made by the appropriate nature conservation body, make an appropriate assessment of the implications of the development for the European site or European offshore marine site in view of that site’s conservation objectives.
(7) In the light of the conclusions of the assessment the local planning authority may approve the development only after having ascertained that it will not adversely affect the integrity of the site.