Procedure where an environmental statement is submitted to the Welsh Ministers
21.—(1) This regulation applies where an applicant or appellant submits an environmental statement to the Welsh Ministers, in relation to an EIA application which is—
(a)before the Welsh Ministers or an inspector for determination; or
(b)the subject of an appeal to the Welsh Ministers.
(2) The applicant or appellant must submit the environmental statement in electronic and paper format to the Welsh Ministers and to the relevant planning authority, unless otherwise agreed in writing.
(3) An applicant or appellant who submits an environmental statement to the Welsh Ministers may provide a copy of it to any other body, and if so must—
(a)comply with sub-paragraphs (a) and (b) of regulation 18(2) as if the reference in regulation 18(2)(b) to the relevant planning authority were a reference to the Welsh Ministers; and
(b)inform the Welsh Ministers of the matters mentioned in regulation 18(2)(c).
(4) The Welsh Ministers must comply with regulation 18(3) (except sub-paragraph (a) of that regulation) and the applicant or appellant must comply with regulation 18(4) as if—
(a)references in those provisions to the relevant planning authority were references to the Welsh Ministers; and,
(b)in the case of an appeal, references to the applicant were references to the appellant,
and the Welsh Ministers or the inspector must comply with regulation 18(6) as if it referred to the Welsh Ministers or the inspector instead of the relevant planning authority.