The Pipe-lines (Inquiries Procedure) Rules 1995

Date and notification of inquiry

9.—(1) The date fixed by the Secretary of State for the holding of an inquiry shall be not later than—

(a) 22 weeks after the relevant date; or

(b) in a case where the Secretary of State or the inspector causes a pre-inquiry meeting to be held pursuant to rule 4(2) or rule 5(1), 8 weeks after the conclusion of that meeting.

(2) Where the Secretary of State considers it impracticable to fix a date in accordance with paragraph (1) the date fixed shall be the earliest date after the end of the period mentioned in that paragraph which he considers to be practicable.

(3) Unless the Secretary of State agrees a lesser period of notice with the applicant and statutory objectors, he shall give to every person entitled to appear at the inquiry not less than 4 weeks' written notice of the date, time and place fixed by him for the holding of an inquiry.

(4) The Secretary of State may vary the date fixed for the holding of an inquiry, whether or not the date so varied is within the period mentioned in paragraph (1), and paragraph (3) shall apply to a date so varied as it applied to the date originally fixed.

(5) The Secretary of State may also vary the time or place for the holding of an inquiry and shall give such notice of any such variation as appears to him to be reasonable.

(6) The Secretary of State may require the applicant to take one or more of the following steps—

(a) to cause to be published not less than 14 days before the date fixed for holding the inquiry a notice of the inquiry in one or more newspapers circulating in each of the localities through which the proposed pipe-line is to run;

(b) to serve within such period as he may specify a notice of the inquiry on such persons or classes of persons as he may specify; and

(c) within such period as he may specify, to post a notice of the inquiry in conspicuous places near to the route of the proposed pipe-line.

(7) Any notice of the inquiry published, served or posted pursuant to paragraph (6) shall specify the date and time of the inquiry and the full address of where it is to be held, shall clearly identify the route of the pipe-line and shall specify the powers enabling the Secretary of State to determine the application.