The Town and Country Planning Appeals (Determination by Inspectors) (Inquiries Procedure) (England) Rules 2000

Statement of matters and pre-inquiry meetings

7.—(1) An inspector may, within 12 weeks of the starting date, send to the appellant, the local planning authority and any statutory party a written statement of the matters about which he particularly wishes to be informed for the purposes of his consideration of the appeal.

(2) An inspector shall hold a pre-inquiry meeting—

(a) if he expects an inquiry to last for 8 days or more, unless he considers it is unnecessary; or

(b) in respect of shorter inquiries, if it appears to him necessary.

(3) An inspector shall give not less than 2 weeks written notice of a pre-inquiry meeting to—

(a) the appellant;

(b) the local planning authority;

(c) any statutory party;

(d) any other person known to be entitled to appear at the inquiry; and

(e) any other person whose presence at the meeting appears to him to be desirable.

(4) The inspector—

(a) shall preside at the pre-inquiry meeting;

(b) shall 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 his 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 him to return or attend only on such conditions as he may specify.

(5) If the inspector requests any further information from the appellant or the local planning authority at the pre-inquiry meeting, they shall ensure that 2 copies of it have been received by him and a copy has been received by any statutory party within 4 weeks of the conclusion of the pre-inquiry meeting and the inspector shall, as soon as practicable after receipt, send a copy of the further information received from the local planning authority to the appellant and a copy of the further information received from the appellant to the local planning authority.