The OGA shall not grant any Petroleum Act licence, consent or authorisation without the agreement of the Secretary of State.

The Secretary of State shall, before F2agreeing to the grant of any F3Petroleum Act licence, any consent, F4or any authorisation, or F5granting any consent or approval, where he considers that anything that might be done or any activity which might be carried on pursuant to such a licence, consent, authorisation or approval is likely to have a significant effect on a relevant site, whether individually or in combination with any other plan or project, including but not limited to any other relevant project, make an appropriate assessment of the implications for the site in view of the site’s conservation objectives.

The Secretary of State shall for the purposes of the assessment consult the F6appropriate nature conservation body and have regard to any representations made by that body within such reasonable time as the Secretary of State may specify and shall also, if he considers appropriate, take the opinion of the general public.

Subject to regulation 6 below, in the light of the conclusions of the assessment the Secretary of State shall F7agree to the grant of any such licence, consent, or authorisation or grant any such consent or approval only after having ascertained that nothing that might be done and no activity that might be carried out pursuant thereto would have an adverse effect on the integrity of a relevant site.

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