The Electricity Generating Stations and Overhead Lines (Inquiries Procedure) Rules 1990

Date and notification of inquiry

10.—(1) The date fixed by the Secretary of State for the holding of an inquiry shall be, unless he considers such a date impracticable, not later than—

(a) 22 weeks after the relevant date; or

(b) in a case where the Secretary of State causes a pre-inquiry meeting to be held pursuant to rule 5(1), 8 weeks after the conclusion of that meeting (or the last such meeting).

(2) Where the Secretary of State considers it impracticable to fix a date in accordance with paragraph (1) the date fixed shall be the earliest date after the end of the period mentioned in that paragraph which he considers to be practicable.

(3) Unless the Secretary of State agrees a lesser period of notice with the applicant and the relevant planning authority, he shall give not less than 28 days' written notice of the date, time and place fixed by him for the holding of an inquiry to every person entitled to appear at the inquiry.

(4) The Secretary of State may vary the date fixed for the holding of an inquiry, whether or not the date so varied is within the period mentioned in paragraph (1), and paragraph (3) shall apply to a date so varied as it applied to the date originally fixed.

(5) The Secretary of State may also vary the time or place for the holding of an inquiry and shall give such notice of any such variation as appears to him to be reasonable.

(6) The Secretary of State may require the applicant to take one or more of the following steps —

(a) to publish a notice of the inquiry in one or more newspapers circulating in the locality in which the land is situated not less than 14 days before the date fixed for the holding of the inquiry;

(b) to serve within such period as he may specify a notice of the inquiry on such persons or classes of persons as he may specify;

(c) within such period as he may specify to post a notice of the inquiry in a conspicuous place near to the land.

(7) Where the land is under the control of the applicant he shall, if so required by the Secretary of State, affix a notice of the inquiry firmly to the land or to some object on or near the land, in such manner as to be readily visible to and legible by members of the public, and he shall not remove the notice, or cause or permit it to be removed, for such period before the inquiry as the Secretary of State may specify.

(8) Any notice of the inquiry published, served, posted or affixed pursuant to paragraph (6) or (7) shall specify the date and time of the inquiry and the full address of where it is to be held, and shall clearly identify the land.