17.—(1) The Welsh Ministers may proceed to a decision on an appeal taking into account only such written representations as have been received within the relevant time limits.
(2) The Welsh Ministers may, after giving the appellant and the local planning authority written notice of its intention to do so, proceed to a decision on an appeal notwithstanding that no written representations have been made within the relevant time limits if it appears to the Welsh Ministers that they have sufficient material before them to enable them to reach a decision on the merits of the case.
(3) In this regulation, “relevant time limits” (“terfynau amser perthnasol”) means the time limits prescribed by these Regulations or where the Welsh Ministers have exercised the power under regulation 19, any later time limit.