15.—(1) Subject to regulation 18, the licensing authority shall —
(a)refuse an application for a licence or registration; and
(b)where regulation 14(1) applies, refuse to issue the draft licence referred to in regulation 14(1),
where paragraph (2) applies.
(2) This paragraph applies when the licensing authority is of the opinion that —
(a)the proposed site or, within it, any place where the manufacture or storage of explosives is proposed to take place is unsuitable for that manufacture or storage; or
(b)the applicant is not a fit person —
(i)to store explosives, in the case of an application for registration or a licence to store explosives; or
(ii)to manufacture explosives, in the case of an application for a licence to do so.
(3) A refusal by the licensing authority, pursuant to paragraph (1), to issue the draft licence referred to in regulation 14(1) shall be treated for the purposes of these Regulations as a refusal of an application for a licence and the provisions of regulation 18 shall apply to a refusal to issue a draft licence as if the references in that regulation to “refuse an application for a licence” included refusing to issue a draft licence.