The Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Wales) Regulations 2017

Requests for screening opinions

6.—(1) A person who is minded to carry out development may request the relevant planning authority to adopt a screening opinion.

(2) A request for a screening opinion in relation to an application for planning permission must be accompanied by—

(a) a plan sufficient to identify the land;

(b) a description of the development, including in particular—

(i) a description of the physical characteristics of the development and, where relevant, of demolition works;

(ii) a description of the location of the development, with particular regard to the environmental sensitivity of geographical areas likely to be affected;

(c) a description of the aspects of the environment likely to be significantly affected by the development;

(d) a description of any likely significant effects, to the extent of the information available on those effects, of the proposed development on the environment resulting from—

(i) the expected residues and emissions and the production of waste, where relevant; and

(ii) the use of natural resources, in particular soil, land, water and biodiversity; and

(e) such other information or representations as the person making the request may wish to provide or make including any features of the proposed development or any measures envisaged to avoid or prevent what might otherwise have been significant adverse effects on the environment.

(3) A request for a screening opinion in relation to a subsequent application must be accompanied by—

(a) a plan sufficient to identify the land;

(b) sufficient information to enable the relevant planning authority to identify any planning permission granted for the development in respect of which a subsequent application has been made;

(c) the information described in paragraph (2)(c) and (d), but only to the extent that this relates to likely significant effects on the environment which were not previously identified; and

(d) such other information or representations as the person making the request may wish to provide or make, including any features of the proposed development or any measures envisaged to avoid or prevent what might otherwise have been significant adverse effects on the environment.

(4) The person making the request for the screening opinion must, when that person provides the information required by paragraphs (2) or (3), take into account the criteria in Schedule 3 and the available results of other environmental assessments carried out pursuant to Union legislation other than under the Directive.

(5) An authority receiving a request for a screening opinion must, if they consider that they have not been provided with sufficient information to adopt an opinion, notify the person making the request of the points on which they require additional information.

(6) An authority must adopt a screening opinion within—

(a) 21 days; or

(b) such longer period not exceeding 90 days as may be agreed in writing with the person making the request,

in either case, from the date on which the person making the request submits the information required under paragraph (2) or (3).

(7) An authority which adopts a screening opinion pursuant to paragraph (6) must send a copy to the person who made the request.

(8) Where an authority—

(a) fails to adopt a screening opinion pursuant to paragraph (6); or

(b) adopts an opinion to the effect that the development is EIA development;

the person who requested the opinion may request the Welsh Ministers to make a screening direction.

(9) The person may make a request pursuant to paragraph (8) even if the authority have not received additional information which they have sought under paragraph (5).