15.—(1) Except in a case where an application has been referred to the Scottish Ministers under paragraph 14 and subject to paragraph 18, SEPA shall give notice of its determination of an application for a permit within the period of 4 months beginning with the day on which it received the application or within such longer period as may be agreed with the applicant.
(2) For the purpose of calculating the 4 month period mentioned in sub-paragraph (1), no account shall be taken of–
(a)any period beginning with the date on which notice is served on the applicant under paragraph 4 and ending on the date on which the applicant furnishes the information specified in the notice;
(b)any period allowed for making representations in relation to a notice given pursuant to paragraph 11 in so far as that period does not overlap with any other period allowed for making representations in accordance with paragraph 12;
(c)where a matter falls to be determined for the purposes of regulation 28 or under regulation 29, any period beginning with the date on which the period of 28 days referred to in paragraph 5 ends and ending on the date on which the application is advertised in accordance with paragraph 23(a).