8.—(1) Without prejudice to the previous provisions of this Schedule, the Department may make regulations with respect—
(a)to the form and content of simplified planning zone schemes, and
(b)to the procedure to be followed in connection with their preparation, withdrawal, adoption, submission, approval, making or alteration.
(2) Any such regulations may in particular—
(a)provide for the notice to be given of, or the publicity to be given to—
(i)matters included or proposed to be included in a simplified planning zone scheme, and
(ii)the adoption or approval of such a scheme, or of any alteration of it, or any other prescribed procedural step,
and for publicity to be given to the procedure to be followed in these respects;
(b)make provision with respect to the making and consideration of representations as to matters to be included in, or objections to, any such scheme or proposals for its alteration;
(c)make provision with respect to the circumstances in which representations with respect to the matters to be included in such a scheme or proposals for its alteration are to be treated, for the purposes of this Schedule, as being objections made in accordance with regulations;
(d)without prejudice to head (a), provide for notice to be given to particular persons of the adoption or approval of a simplified planning zone scheme, or an alteration to such a scheme, if they have objected to the proposals and have notified the council of their wish to receive notice, subject (if the regulations so provide) to the payment of a reasonable charge;
(e)provide for notice to be given to the Department and such other persons as may be prescribed of the council’s decision to hold or not to hold an independent examination in accordance with paragraph 4;
(f)require or authorise a council to consult with, or consider the views of, other persons before taking any prescribed procedural step;
(g)require a council, in such cases as may be prescribed or in such particular cases as the Department may direct, to provide persons making a request with copies of any document which has been made public, subject (if the regulations so provide) to the payment of a reasonable charge;
(h)provide for the publication and inspection of a simplified planning zone scheme which has been adopted or approved, or any document adopted or approved altering such a scheme, and for copies of any such scheme or document to be made available on sale.
(3) Subject to the previous provisions of this Schedule and to any regulations under this paragraph, the Department may give directions to any council or to councils generally—
(a)for formulating the procedure for the carrying out of their functions under this Schedule;
(b)for requiring them to give the Department such information as the Department may require for carrying out any of its functions under this Schedule.