Comments in respect of how the Applicant proposes to handle publicising the Statement of Community Consultation and s48 notices for its forthcoming consultation.

To summarise that approach (and give you the opportunity to correct me if I have misunderstood), given there are legitimate circumstances within which the public consultation events could be cancelled you intend to host the table of events on the Highways England website rather than publishing it in a fixed notice(s). In the event of any cancellation this will allow you to amend the table and provide comms around it in a flexible way, rather than having to reissue the notice(s). The published notice(s) will make clear that the website information signposted from them may for legitimate reasons be subject to change. In terms of the legislation underpinning these notification requirements (i) the content of the SoCC notice is not prescribed in detail in s47 and (ii) Reg 4 of the APFP Regulations does not require applicants to itemise consultation events ‘up front’ within the s48 notice itself. On this basis, provided your comms are clear about the potentially uncertain status of the consultation events, we consider that your proposed approached is pragmatic within the current circumstances.