The Norfolk Vanguard Offshore Wind Farm Order 2020

Appeals

3.—(1) The undertaker may appeal to the Secretary of State in the event that—

(a) the discharging authority refuses an application for any agreement or approval required by a requirement included in this Order;

(b) the discharging authority does not give notice of its decision to the undertaker within the decision period as determined in paragraph 1;

(c) on receipt of a request for further information pursuant to paragraph 2 (further information) the undertaker considers that either the whole or part of the specified information requested by the discharging authority is not reasonably necessary for consideration of the application; or

(d) on receipt of any further information requested, the discharging authority notifies the undertaker that the information provided is inadequate and requests additional information which the undertaker considers is not reasonably necessary for consideration of the application.

(2) The appeal process is as follows—

(a) the undertaker must submit the appeal documentation to the Secretary of State, a copy of the application submitted to the discharging authority and any supporting documentation which the undertaker may wish to provide (“the appeal documentation”);

(b) the undertaker must on the same day provide copies of the appeal documentation to the discharging authority and the requirement consultee (if applicable);

(c) as soon as is practicable after receiving the appeal documentation, but in any event within 28 business days of receiving the appeal documentation, the Secretary of State must appoint a person and forthwith notify the appeal parties of the identity of the appointed person and the address to which all correspondence for that person’s attention should be sent;

(d) the discharging authority and the requirement consultee (if applicable) must submit written representations to the appointed person in respect of the appeal within 20 business days of the date on which the appeal parties are notified of the appointment of a person under paragraph (c) and must ensure that copies of their written representations are sent to each other and to the undertaker on the day on which they are submitted to the appointed person; and

(e) the appeal parties must make any counter-submissions to the appointed person within 20 business days of receipt of written representations pursuant to sub-paragraph (d) above.

(3) The appointed person must make his decision and notify it to the appeal parties, with reasons, as soon as reasonably practicable. If the appointed person considers that further information is necessary to enable him to consider the appeal he must, as soon as practicable, notify the appeal parties in writing specifying the further information required, the appeal party from whom the information is sought, and the date by which the information is to be submitted.

(4) Any further information required pursuant to sub-paragraph (3) must be provided by the party from whom the information is sought to the appointed person and to other appeal parties by the date specified by the appointed person. Any written representations concerning matters contained in the further information must be submitted to the appointed person, and made available to all appeal parties within 20 business days of that date.

(5) On an appeal under this paragraph, the appointed person may—

(a) allow or dismiss the appeal; or

(b) reverse or vary any part of the decision of the discharging authority (whether the appeal relates to that part of it or not),

and may deal with the application as if it had been made to the appointed person in the first instance.

(6) The appointed person may proceed to a decision on an appeal taking into account only such written representations as have been sent within the time limits prescribed, or set by the appointed person, under this paragraph.

(7) The appointed person may proceed to a decision even though no written representations have been made within those time limits, if it appears to the appointed person that there is sufficient material to enable a decision to be made on the merits of the case.

(8) The decision of the appointed person on an appeal is final and binding on the parties, and a court may entertain proceedings for questioning the decision only if the proceedings are brought by a claim for judicial review.

(9) If an approval is given by the appointed person pursuant to this Schedule, it is deemed to be an approval for the purpose of Part 3 of Schedule 1 (requirements) as if it had been given by the discharging authority. The discharging authority may confirm any determination given by the appointed person in identical form in writing but a failure to give such confirmation (or a failure to give it in identical form) may not be taken to affect or invalidate the effect of the appointed person’s determination.

(10) Save where a direction is given pursuant to sub-paragraph (11) requiring the costs of the appointed person to be paid by the discharging authority, the reasonable costs of the appointed person must be met by the undertaker.

(11) On application by the discharging authority or the undertaker, the appointed person may give directions as to the costs of the appeal parties and as to the parties by whom the costs of the appeal are to be paid. In considering whether to make any such direction and the terms on which it is to be made, the appointed person must have regard to the Planning Practice Guidance on the award of costs or any guidance which may from time to time replace it.