The Electricity (Offshore Generating Stations) (Inquiries Procedure) (Wales) Regulations 2019

Procedure for pre-inquiry and other meetings

10.—(1) Subject to paragraph (2), the Welsh Ministers must hold one or more pre-inquiry meetings.

(2) Paragraph (1) does not apply where the Welsh Ministers consider that holding a pre-inquiry meeting would not result in the inquiry being conducted more efficiently and expeditiously, in which case paragraphs (3) to (9) do not apply.

(3) The pre-inquiry meeting (or, where there is more than one, the first pre-inquiry meeting) must be held within twelve weeks of the date of the relevant notice.

(4) The Welsh Ministers must give not less than three weeks’ written notice of the pre-inquiry meeting (or, where there is more than one, the first pre-inquiry meeting) to—

(a) any person entitled to appear; and

(b) any other person whose presence at the pre-inquiry meeting seems to the Welsh Ministers to be desirable.

(5) The Welsh Ministers may in writing require the applicant to take one or more of the following steps—

(a) not less than two weeks before the date fixed for the first pre-inquiry meeting, to publish by local advertisement a notice of the pre-inquiry meeting;

(b) to send a notice of that pre-inquiry meeting to such persons or classes of persons as the Welsh Ministers may specify and within such period as they may specify;

(c) to post a notice of that pre-inquiry meeting in such locations that it is likely to come to the attention of those likely to be affected by the consent applied for if it is given, and within such period as they may specify.

(6) A notice of the pre-inquiry meeting published, sent or posted pursuant to paragraph (5) must state—

(a) the fact that the application or the variation application has been made and the purpose of it, together with a description of the place to which it relates;

(b) where the inquiry relates to an application that a copy of the application and the map referred to in it, can be inspected at the same location or locations used to display the map pursuant to regulation 7(2) of the Applications for Consent Regulations or, if in relation to any such location that is not possible, at a suitable alternative location as near to it as possible;

(c) where the inquiry relates to a variation application, a place in the locality where those likely to be affected by the proposed development live or work where a copy of the variation application and of the map referred to in it can be inspected; and

(d) the location, date and time of the pre-inquiry meeting.

(7) The inspector—

(a) must preside at each pre-inquiry meeting;

(b) must determine the matters to be discussed and the procedure to be followed;

(c) may require any person present at the pre-inquiry meeting who, in the inspector’s opinion, is behaving in a disruptive manner to leave; and

(d) may refuse to permit that person to return or to attend any further pre-inquiry meeting, or may permit that person to return or attend only on such conditions as the inspector may specify.

(8) If the Welsh Ministers request any further information from the applicant, any qualifying planning authority, any qualifying objector or any other person at the pre-inquiry meeting, that person must ensure that two copies of the information (in the case of the applicant or any qualifying planning authority) or three copies (in the case of any other person) are received by the Welsh Ministers within such period as the Welsh Ministers may specify.

(9) The Welsh Ministers must, as soon as practicable after receipt, circulate all information received by them under paragraph (8).

(10) The inspector may at any time and for any purpose connected with the inquiry hold such other meetings as the inspector considers necessary.

(11) The inspector must arrange for such notice to be given of those meetings held in accordance with paragraph (10) as the inspector considers necessary.

(12) Paragraph (7) applies to any meetings held in accordance with paragraph (10).