Part 3Marine planning

Validity of marine plans

17Validity of national marine plans and regional marine plans

(1)

A relevant document must not be questioned in any legal proceedings, except in so far as is provided by this section.

(2)

A person aggrieved by a relevant document may make an application to the Court of Session on any of the following grounds—

(a)

that the document is not within the appropriate powers,

(b)

that a procedural requirement has not been complied with.

(3)

Any such application must be made not later than 6 weeks after the publication of the relevant document.

(4)

In this section and section 18—

(a)

“the appropriate powers” means in the case of a national marine plan, a regional marine plan or an amendment of any such plan, the powers conferred on the Scottish Ministers by sections 5 to 12,

(b)

“procedural requirement” means any requirement—

(i)

under the appropriate powers, or

(ii)

in directions under section 12 or 14,

which relates to the preparation, adoption or publication of a relevant document,

(c)

“relevant document” means—

(i)

a national marine plan,

(ii)

an amendment of a national marine plan,

(iii)

a regional marine plan,

(iv)

an amendment of a regional marine plan.