Drainage (Northern Ireland) Order 1973

6.—(1) After the preparation of a scheme, the Ministry shall— N.I.

(a) send a copy of the scheme to such district councils as the Ministry may consider appropriate;

(b) publish in the Belfast Gazette and such one or more newspapers as it shall consider appropriate a notice stating that the scheme has been prepared and also stating the place or places and times at which, and the period, not being less than twenty-eight days, during which, a copy of the scheme will be available for inspection;

(c) serve on every person appearing to the Ministry to be the owner, lessee or occupier of any land proposed in the scheme to be acquired or otherwise directly interfered with, a copy of the public notice, together with a statement that the scheme proposes the acquisition of, or interference with, such land; and

(d) serve on any person appearing to the Ministry to be an owner or lessee of any fishery proposed in the scheme to be interfered with a copy of the public notice, together with a statement informing that person of the proposed interference.

(2) Every notice published under this paragraph shall contain or be accompanied by a statement to the effect that any person who considers that his interests will be prejudicially affected by the scheme may, in the manner and within the time, not being less than twenty-eight days, specified in the statement or notice, send to the Ministry any observations in regard to the scheme which he wishes to make.

(3) A district council to which a copy of a scheme is sent by the Ministry in pursuance of this paragraph—

(a) shall cause such copy to be exhibited in its principal offices or other convenient place during the period required to be specified in that behalf under sub-paragraph (2) with respect to the scheme, and shall permit such copy to be inspected during normal office hours by any person claiming to be interested therein;

(b) shall examine and consider the scheme; and

(c) may, at any time within twenty-eight days after the date of the publication in the Belfast Gazette pursuant to sub-paragraph (2) of the notice relating to such scheme, send to the Ministry any observations in regard to the scheme which it wishes to make.