33.—(1) The Comhairle may upon such terms and conditions as it thinks fit grant to any person a licence to dredge in any part of a harbour area.
(2) Application for a dredging licence shall be made in writing to the Comhairle and shall be accompanied by plans, sections and particulars defining the nature, extent and manner of the operations in respect of which application is made.
(3) In granting a licence the Comhairle may require modifications in the plans, sections and particulars submitted to it by the applicant.
(4) If the Comhairle decides to grant a dredging licence it shall give notice of its decision to the applicant.
(5) If within 3 months from the date of making an application under paragraph (2) above the Comhairle does not notify the applicant of its decision whether to grant a dredging licence it shall be deemed to have refused the application.
(6) Unless otherwise agreed between the Comhairle and the licensee any materials (other than wreck within the meaning of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995) taken up or collected by means of dredging in pursuance of a dredging licence shall, in so far as they are not the property of the Comhairle before being taken up or collected, but subject to the provisions of article 61 below, become the property of the Comhairle, and the Comhairle may use, appropriate or dispose of any such material.
(7) The Comhairle may charge a reasonable fee for the grant of a licence under this article.
(8) The grant of a licence under this article has effect for the purposes of article 31 above and confers no other authority for the carrying out of the operations covered by the licence.
(9) In the execution of any works to which a dredging licence relates the holder of the licence shall not damage or injuriously affect any electrical plant or electric line (as respectively defined in section 64 of the Electricity Act 1989) belonging to or used or maintained by Scottish and Southern Energy plc or, without the consent of that company, interfere with or adversely affect the operation of any such line or work.