Forestry Act (Northern Ireland) 2010

Fees in connection with felling licences

21.—(1) Such fees as may be prescribed shall be charged by the Department in respect of—

(a) applications for felling licences;

(b) the issue of felling licences;

(c) the continuation in force of felling licences.

(2) Regulations may provide—

(a) for fees to be payable at such times as may be prescribed;

(b) for fees to be payable in one sum or by instalments.

(3) The Department may decline to proceed with—

(a) any application for a felling licence, or

(b) the issue of any felling licence,

until any fee or instalment of a fee in respect of the application or issue (as the case may be) is duly paid.

(4) If, in the case of any application for a felling licence, any fee or instalment of a fee in respect of the application for or issue of the licence is not duly paid by the prescribed time—

(a) the application shall be treated as withdrawn at that time; and

(b) any decision made on the application ceases to have effect at that time.

(5) If any fee or instalment of a fee in respect of the continuation in force of a felling licence is not duly paid by the prescribed time, the licence terminates at that time.

(6) The Department may, if it considers there to be exceptional circumstances that justify its doing so in any case where subsection (4) or (5) has applied, direct that as from the time mentioned in that subsection its effect in that case be disregarded.

(7) Regulations under this section may provide for fees to be remitted or refunded (in whole or part) in prescribed cases.