12.—(1) The appellant or the respondent may apply to the Head of HR for an extension of a relevant period.
(2) Any such application must set out the period of the required extension and the reasons for the application.
(3) As soon as reasonably practicable after receipt of an application under paragraph (1), the Head of HR must—
(a)give a copy of the application to the other party (being the appellant or the respondent as the case may be), and
(b)ask that other party whether the party consents to the application.
(4) If the other party consents to the application, the relevant period must be extended in accordance with the application and regulation 11 has effect as if for that period there were substituted the extended period.
(5) If the other party does not consent to the application, the application must be referred to the chair who must determine whether the relevant period should be extended and, if so, by how long; and where the chair extends the relevant period, regulation 11 has effect as if for that period there were substituted the extended period.
(6) In this regulation, “relevant period” means, in relation to an application by the appellant, the period referred to in regulation 11(6)(a) or (b) and, in relation to an application by the respondent, the period referred to in regulation 11(2) or (8).