AQUIND Interconnector

This page sets out the timetable for the examination of the application. It includes the deadlines for submissions to be made to the Planning Inspectorate and the dates of events taking place during the Examination. The Examination Timetable is also set out in an annex to the Rule 8 letter that was sent to Interested Parties at the start of the Examination.

Event DateDescription
 Date Passed
08 September 2020
Examination Begins
 Date Passed
06 October 2020
Deadline 1

Deadline for receipt by the ExA of:
• Responses to ExQ1
• Local Impact Reports (LIR) from Local Authorities
• Written Representations (WRs) including summaries of all WRs exceeding 1500 words
• Responses to Relevant Representations
• Statements of Common Ground (SoCG) requested by the ExA
• Statement of Commonality for SoCG
• The Compulsory Acquisition Schedule
• Notification by Statutory Parties of their wish to be considered as an Interested Party (IP) by the ExA
• Notification of wish to participate in Open Floor Hearings (OFH1 or OFH2) (see annex B)
• Notification of wish to participate in Compulsory Acquisitions Hearings (CAH1 or CAH2) (see Annex B)
• Notification of wish to participate in the Issue Specific Hearing into the draft Development Consent Order (ISH1) (see Annex B)
• Submission by the Applicant, IPs and APs of suggested locations for the ExA to include in any Accompanied Site Inspection, including the reason for nomination and issues to be observed, information about whether the location can be accessed using public rights of way or what access arrangements would need to be made and the likely time requirement for the visit to that location
View the documents received relating to this deadline
 Date Passed
20 October 2020
Deadline 2

Deadline for receipt by the ExA of:
• Comments on responses for Deadline 1
• Comments on Written Representations
• Comments on responses to ExQ1
• Progressed Statements of Common Ground
• Progressed Statement of Commonality for SoCG
• Comments on LIR(s)
• An updated Guide to the Application
• An updated version of the draft Development Consent Order (dDCO) in clean and tracked versions
• Schedule of changes to the dDCO
• An updated Compulsory Acquisition Schedule in clean and tracked versions
• Any further information requested by the ExA
View the documents received relating to this deadline
 Date Passed
03 November 2020
Deadline 3

Deadline for receipt by the ExA of:
• Comments on responses submitted for Deadline 2
• An updated Guide to the Application
• An updated version of the draft Development Consent Order (dDCO) in clean and tracked versions
• An updated Schedule of changes to the dDCO
• An updated Compulsory Acquisition Schedule in clean and tracked versions
• Progressed Statements of Common Ground
• Progressed Statement of Commonality for SoCG
• Any further information requested by the ExA under Rule 17 of the Examination Rules
View the documents received relating to this deadline
 Date Passed
17 November 2020
Deadline 4

Deadline for receipt by the ExA of:
• Comments on responses submitted for Deadline 3
• The Applicant’s draft ASI arrangements and itinerary
• An updated Guide to the Application
• An updated version of the draft Development Consent Order (dDCO) in clean and tracked versions
• An updated Schedule of changes to the dDCO
• An updated Compulsory Acquisition Schedule in clean and tracked versions
• Progressed Statements of Common Ground
• Progressed Statement of Commonality for SoCG
• Any further information requested by the ExA under Rule 17 of the Examination Rules
View the documents received relating to this deadline
 Date Passed
30 November 2020
Deadline 5

Deadline for receipt by the ExA of:
• Any information requested by the ExA under Rule 17 of the Examination Rules to assist the Hearings scheduled for weeks commencing 7 and 14 December 2020, including full transcripts of all oral submissions to be given at OFH1, OFH2, ISH1, CAH1, CAH2, ISH2 and ISH3;
• the Applicant’s and other parties’ summaries of their current positions in relation to any s106 agreements.
View the documents received relating to this deadline
 Date Passed
07 December 2020
Open Floor Hearing 1
(OFH1)
 Date Passed
07 December 2020
Open Floor Hearing 2
(OFH2)
 Date Passed
08 December 2020
Date reserved for the continuation of OFH2
(if required)
 Date Passed
09 December 2020
Issue Specific Hearing 1 (ISH1)
Issue Specific Hearing into the draft Development Consent Order
 Date Passed
10 December 2020
Compulsory Acquisition Hearing 1 (CAH1)
Principally aimed at the Applicant, local authorities and statutory bodies, who may watch CAH2 on the livestream if they wish to observe.
 Date Passed
11 December 2020
Compulsory Acquisition Hearing 2 (CAH2)
Principally aimed at the Applicant, Affected Persons in terms of Compulsory Acquisition and Interested Parties in terms of Temporary Possession, who are encouraged to observe CAH1 on the livestream if they wish.
 Date Passed
14 December 2020
Issue Specific Hearing 2
Issue Specific Hearing 2 into Traffic, Highways and Air Quality (ISH2)
 Date Passed
15 December 2020
Issue Specific Hearing 3
Issue Specific Hearing 3 into Environmental Matters
 Date Passed
16 December 2020
Issue Specific Hearing 2 (if required)
Issue Specific Hearing 2 into Traffic, Highways and Air Quality (ISH2) (if required)
 Date Passed
17 December 2020
Issue Specific Hearing 3 (if required)
Issue Specific Hearing 3 into Environmental Matters (ISH3) (if required)
 Date Passed
23 December 2020
Deadline 6

Deadline for receipt by the ExA of:
• Comments on responses submitted for Deadlines 4 and 5;
• Written summaries of oral submissions to Hearings held during the week commencing 7 and any held during the week commencing 14 December 2020;
• Comments on the Applicant’s draft ASI arrangements and itinerary3;
• Any post-Hearing notes requested at the Hearings;
• An updated Guide to the Application;
• An updated version of the draft Development Consent Order (dDCO) in clean and tracked versions;
• An updated Schedule of changes to the dDCO;
• An updated Compulsory Acquisition Schedule in clean and tracked versions;
• Progressed Statements of Common Ground;
• Progressed Statement of Commonality for SoCG;
• Any further information requested by the ExA under
Rule 17 of the Examination Rules.
View the documents received relating to this deadline
 Date Passed
24 December 2020
Deadline 6a

Deadline for receipt by the ExA of:
• Representations in relation to the Additional Land sought by the Applicant (REP3-019).
 Date Passed
07 January 2021
Publication by the ExA of
Further Written Questions (ExQ2) (if required)
 Date Passed
25 January 2021
Deadline 7

Deadline for receipt by the ExA of:
• Responses to ExQ2;
• Comments on responses submitted for Deadline 6 and 6a;
• Any information requested by the ExA under Rule 17 of the Examination Rules to assist Hearings scheduled for weeks commencing 8, 15 and 22 February 2021 including full transcripts of all oral submissions to be given at the OFHs and CAHs;
• Updated Statements of Common Ground;
• Updated Statement of Commonality for SoCG;
• An updated Guide to the Application;
• Updated Book of Reference;
• Updated Statement of Reasons;
• Signed and dated s106 Agreements (if required);
• An updated version of the draft Development Consent Order (dDCO) in clean and tracked versions;
• An updated Schedule of changes to the dDCO;
• Any further information requested by the ExA under Rule 17 of the Examination Rules (if required).
View the documents received relating to this deadline
 Date Passed
03 February 2021
Publication by the ExA of
• The Report on the Implications for European Sites (RIES) (if required)
• The ExA’s proposed schedule of changes to the dDCO (if required)
• Any requests for information under Rule 17 of the Examination Rules (if required)
 Date Passed
08 February 2021
Hearings and Accompanied Site Inspection(s)
Weeks commencing 8 February & 15 February 2021

Dates reserved for any:
• Issue Specific Hearing(s) (if required)
• Open Floor Hearing(s) (if required)
• Compulsory Acquisition Hearing(s) (if required)
• Accompanied Site Inspection(s) (if required)
 Date Passed
22 February 2021
Hearing
Date reserved for any:
• Exceptional Issue Specific Hearing (if required)

A date reserved to accommodate any over-runs associated with any IT difficulties at previous Hearings, and for any final oral submissions from any parties in relation to new topics that have, for good reason, not had an opportunity to be heard at earlier Hearings. Active participation would be strictly at the invitation of the ExA (who will decide if the event is required at all) and will be restricted to any matters that the ExA considers to be of importance to the Examination that have not had adequate consideration and discussion.

Parties should be aware that costs can be awarded against a party that has acted unreasonably during the course of an Examination. Parties that deliberately withhold information until this Hearing that could have been presented (in oral or written form) earlier in the Examination could be subject to an application for an award of costs.
 Date Passed
01 March 2021
Deadline 8

Deadline for receipt by the ExA of:
• Comments on responses submitted for Deadline 7
• Written summaries of oral submissions put at any Hearings held during the weeks commencing 8, 15 and 22 February 2021
• Any post-Hearing notes requested at the previous Hearings
• Comments on the RIES (if required)
• Comments on the ExA’s proposed schedule of changes to the dDCO (if required)
• Finalised Statements of Common Ground
• Finalised Statement of Commonality for SoCG
• Finalised Compulsory Acquisition Schedule in clean and tracked versions
• A finalised Guide to the Application
• A finalised version of the draft Development Consent Order (dDCO) in clean and tracked versions
• A finalised Schedule of changes to the dDCO
• Any Additional Submissions relating to oral submissions made at any Hearings held during weeks commencing 8, 15 and 22 February
• Any further information requested by the ExA under Rule 17 of the Examination Rules (if required)
View the documents received relating to this deadline
 Date Passed
05 March 2021
Deadline 9

Deadline for receipt by the ExA of:
• Any further information requested by the ExA after Deadline 8 (if required), under Rule 17 of the Examination Rules (if required)
View the documents received relating to this deadline
 Date Passed
08 March 2021
Deadline for close of examination
The ExA is under a duty to complete the Examination of the application by the end of the period of 6 months
 Date Passed
08 March 2021
Examination closed