The Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1999

Part V Publicity

Publicity where an environmental statement is submitted

12.  Where an environmental statement is submitted, the developer shall make it available to the public, and the Department shall, when it receives the environmental statement—

(a) publish notice of the planning application in at least one newspaper circulating in the locality in which the land to which the application relates is situated, allowing the public a period of 4 weeks from the date on which the notice is first published, in which to make representations;

(b) state in the notice that the planning application is accompanied by an environmental statement; and

(c) give in the notice, an address (within the locality in which the land proposed to be developed is situated) at which copies of the environmental statement may be obtained from the developer, so long as stocks last, and if a charge is to be made for a copy, state the amount of the charge.

Availability of copies of environmental statement

13.  A developer who submits an environmental statement shall—

(a) ensure that a reasonable number of copies are made available at the address given in the notice pursuant to regulation 12(c); and

(b) provide the Department with sufficient copies of it, or parts thereof, to enable the Department to comply with regulation 14 and 3 additional copies.

Consultation where environmental statement submitted

14.—(1) Where the Department receives an environmental statement in relation to a proposed development, it shall consult the district council and bodies mentioned in regulation 7(3) and inform them that they may make representations.

(2) The Department shall give not less than 4 weeks notice to bodies consulted under paragraph (1) that environmental information is to be taken into account in determining the application for planning permission.

Further information relating to environmental statement

15.—(1) Where the Department or the Commission is of the opinion that—

(a) the applicant could have provided further information about any of the matters mentioned in Schedule 4; and

(b) that further information is reasonably required to give proper consideration to the likely environmental effects of the proposed development,

it may request the applicant, by notice in writing, to submit such further information.

(2) The Department or the Commission may, by notice in writing, require an applicant to produce such evidence as it may reasonably call for to verify any information in his environmental statement.

(3) Regulations 12 to 14 shall apply where such further information is received by the Department in relation to an environmental statement, as if references to “environmental statement” were references to “further information”.

Charges

16.—(1) A reasonable charge reflecting the cost of printing and distribution of an environmental statement, part thereof or further information, may be made by the developer in respect of copies made available under regulation 13(a).

(2) A body entering into consultation pursuant to regulation 8, may make a reasonable charge for the costs of making available to the developer information in its possession.

Duty to inform the public of decisions

17.—(1) Where an EIA application is determined, the Department shall inform the public of the decision by publishing notice in at least one newspaper circulating in the locality in which the land is situated or by such other means as are reasonable in the circumstances.

(2) Where, after environmental information has been taken into consideration, an EIA application is determined by the Commission, the Commission shall—

(a) notify the Department of its decision; and

(b) provide the Department with a copy of a statement containing—

(i) the contents of the decision and the conditions attached thereto;

(ii) the main reasons for the decision and the considerations on which the decision was based; and

(iii) a description, where necessary, of the main measures to avoid, reduce and, if possible, offset the major adverse effects of the development.

(3) The Department shall, as soon as reasonably practicable after receipt of the notification under paragraph (2), comply with paragraph (1) as if the decision so notified was a decision of the Department.