The Environmental Impact Assessment and Natural Habitats (Extraction of Minerals by Marine Dredging) (Wales) Regulations 2007

Decisions on applications

13.—(1) Before deciding whether to grant or to refuse permission on an application under regulation 10, the Welsh Ministers must determine whether the application relates to a project which constitutes a habitats project unless, within the 12 months prior to the submission of the application, a preliminary determination has been made in response to an application under regulation 6(1)(b) that the same project would not constitute a habitats project.

(2) The applicant must provide such information as the Welsh Ministers may reasonably require to enable the Welsh Ministers to make the determination under paragraph (1).

(3) Before deciding whether to grant or to refuse permission for a project which the Welsh Ministers have determined would constitute a habitats project (whether under this regulation or under regulation 6(1)(b)), the Welsh Ministers must make an appropriate assessment of the implications for the European site affected, in view of its conservation objectives; and paragraph 2 of Schedule 3 applies for that purpose.

(4) Before deciding whether to grant or to refuse permission the Welsh Ministers may give the opportunity of making representations (whether in person or in writing) to a person appointed by the Welsh Ministers for that purpose, to the applicant, the owner (if the owner is not the applicant) and any other person whom the Welsh Ministers consider should be given such an opportunity.

(5) In deciding whether to grant or to refuse permission, the Welsh Ministers must take into consideration—

(a) the information provided in the application;

(b) the environmental statement, where one has been provided;

(c) any further information supplied under regulation 11 and any other information submitted by the applicant;

(d) any relevant representations made in response to the notice published under regulation 12(1), or by anyone to whom a copy of the application has been sent under regulation 12(4) or to whom a notice has been sent under regulation 12(5);

(e) any opinion forwarded to the Welsh Ministers under regulation 15(4);

(f) any reports and advice that have been issued to the Welsh Ministers;

(g) the report of any person appointed under paragraph (4); and

(h) any published policy of the Welsh Ministers in relation to the extraction of minerals by marine dredging.

(6) The Welsh Ministers may only grant permission if —

(a) the results of an assessment carried out under paragraph (3) establish that the relevant project will not, either alone or in combination with other plans or projects, affect the integrity of the European site; or

(b) in the event of a negative assessment of the implications for the site, the provisions set out in paragraph 2(7), or 2(8) and (9), of Schedule 3 apply.

(7) A grant of permission —

(a) may be subject to such conditions as the Welsh Ministers consider appropriate; including —

(i) conditions intended to implement any policy taken into account under paragraph (5)(h) which contains regional limits on the tonnage of minerals which may be dredged, and

(ii) conditions as to the fees, determined in accordance with regulation 25, to be paid in respect of the Welsh Ministers' expenses incurred in assessing and interpreting the results of any monitoring of compliance with the conditions attached to the permission carried out in accordance with such conditions;

and

(b) will be made to, and subject to any transfer under regulation 16, will ensure for the benefit of, the owner.

(8) The Welsh Ministers must send notice of the decision to—

(a) the applicant;

(b) the owner (if the owner is not the applicant);

(c) any person who has made representations in respect of the application; and

(d) the appropriate consultation bodies who were consulted under regulation 12(4);

and the notice must state —

(i) the main reasons for the decision,

(ii) the main considerations on which the decision is based including, if relevant, information about the public participation process,

(iii) where permission is granted, any conditions imposed under paragraph (7)(a), and, where applicable, the main measures to be taken to avoid, reduce and, if possible, offset any major adverse effects, and

(iv) that the decision may be challenged and the procedures for doing so.

(9) Within the period of 28 days beginning with the date of the decision, the Welsh Ministers must publish, in the same or similar manner in which notice relevant to the application was published under regulation 12, a notice containing—

(a) a statement that the Welsh Ministers have granted or, as the case may be, refused permission;

(b) a description of the dredging for which permission has been granted or, as the case may be, refused; and

(c) the address in Wales at which any person may inspect a copy of the notice issued under paragraph (8).