The competent authority may exempt a local authority from the requirement to prepare an external emergency plan under regulation 13(1) where, taking into account the information contained in the safety report for the relevant establishment, the competent authority is of the opinion that the establishment is incapable of creating a major accident hazard outside the establishment.

An exemption granted by the competent authority under paragraph (1) must be in writing and state the reasons for granting it.

The competent authority may withdraw an exemption granted under paragraph (1) by specifying, in writing, the date on which the exemption will cease to apply and the date by which an external emergency plan must be prepared.