A417 Missing Link

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
22 October 2021
Procedural Deadline A

Deadline for receipt by the Examining Authority of:
- Written submissions on the examination procedure, including any submissions about the use of virtual procedures
- Requests to be heard orally at the Preliminary Meeting Part 1
View the documents received relating to this deadline
 Date Passed
10 November 2021
Procedural Deadline B

Deadline for receipt by the Examining Authority of:
- Written submissions on the examination procedure, including responses to matters raised orally at the Preliminary Meeting Part 1
- Requests to be heard orally at the Preliminary Meeting Part 2
View the documents received relating to this deadline
 Date Passed
16 November 2021
Examination Begins
 Date Passed
16 November 2021
Publication by the Examining Authority 1
Publication of:
- The Examining Authority’s Written Questions (ExQ1)
 Date Passed
14 December 2021
Deadline 1 (D1)

Deadline for the receipt by the Examining Authority (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
- Updated 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 for any Interested Party to participate in an Open Floor Hearing
- Notification of wish for any Affected Person to participate in a Compulsory Acquisition Hearing
- Submission by the Applicant, IPs and APs of suggested locations for the ExA to include in any Site Inspection (1)
- Any further information requested by the ExA under Rule 17 of the Examination Rules

(1) Submissions should include 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.
View the documents received relating to this deadline
 Date Passed
13 January 2022
Deadline 2 (D2)

Deadline for the receipt by the Examining Authority (ExA) of:
- Comments on responses received by D1
- Comments on WRs
- Comments on responses to ExQ1
- Progressed Statements of Common Ground
- Progressed Statement of Commonality for SoCG
- Comments on LIR(s)
- Applicant’s 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
- Submission by the Applicant of low-resolution documents
- 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 January 2022
Open Floor Hearing 1 (OFH1)
For any Interested Parties to make representations on the merits of the Proposed Development.
 Date Passed
25 January 2022
Issue Specific Hearing 1 (ISH1)
Issue Specific Hearing on the draft Development Consent Order.
 Date Passed
26 January 2022
Compulsory Acquisition Hearing 1 (CAH1)
To explore issues relating to compulsory acquisition matters.
 Date Passed
27 January 2022
Issue Specific Hearing 2 (ISH2)
Issue Specific Hearing on environmental matters.
 Date Passed
28 January 2022
Issue Specific Hearing 2 (ISH2) - Day 2
Day 2 of the Issue Specific Hearing on environmental matters (if required).
 Date Passed
02 February 2022
Deadline 3 (D3)

Deadline for the receipt by the Examining Authority (ExA) of:
- Written summaries of oral submissions to Hearings held during the w/c 24 January 2022
- Comments on responses received by D2
- Progressed Statements of Common Ground
- Progressed Statement of Commonality for SoCG
- 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
- Notification of wish for any Interested Party to attend an ASI in February (if held)
- Any further information requested by the ExA under Rule 17 of the Examination Rules
View the documents received relating to this deadline
 Date Passed
14 February 2022
Deadline 4 (D4)

Deadline for the receipt by the Examining Authority (ExA) of:
- Comments on responses received by D3
- Progressed Statements of Common Ground
- Progressed Statement of Commonality for SoCG
- 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 under Rule 17 of the Examination Rules
View the documents received relating to this deadline
 Date Passed
02 March 2022
Compulsory Acquisition Hearing 2 (CAH2) - NOT REQUIRED
.
 Date Passed
02 March 2022
Issue Specific Hearing 3 (ISH3) - NOT REQUIRED
.
 Date Passed
03 March 2022
Issue Specific Hearing 4 (ISH4)
Issue Specific Hearing 4 (ISH4) on environmental matters.
 Date Passed
04 March 2022
Issue Specific Hearing 4 (ISH4) - Day 2 (if required)
Day 2 of Issue Specific Hearing 4 (ISH4) on environmental matters (if required).
 Date Passed
09 March 2022
Deadline 5 (D5)

Deadline for the receipt by the Examining Authority (ExA) of:
- Written summaries of oral submissions to Hearings held during the w/c 28 February 2022
- Comments on responses received by D4
- Progressed Statements of Common Ground
- Progressed Statement of Commonality for SoCG
- 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 under Rule 17 of the Examination Rules
View the documents received relating to this deadline
 Date Passed
17 March 2022
Publication by the Examining Authority 2
Publication of:
- The Examining Authority’s Further Written Questions (ExQ2) (if required)
 Date Passed
30 March 2022
Deadline 6 (D6)

Deadline for the receipt by the Examining Authority (ExA) of:
- Responses to ExQ2 (if required)
- Comments on responses received by D5
- Progressed Statements of Common Ground
- Progressed Statement of Commonality for SoCG
- 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 under Rule 17 of the Examination Rules
View the documents received relating to this deadline
 Date Passed
11 April 2022
Deadline 7 (D7)

Deadline for the receipt by the Examining Authority (ExA) of:
- Comments on responses to ExQ2 (if required)
- Comments on responses received by D6
- Any further information requested by the ExA under Rule 17 of the Examination Rules
View the documents received relating to this deadline
 Date Passed
13 April 2022
Publication by the Examining Authority 3
Publication of:
- The Report on the Implications for European Sites (RIES) (if required)
- The Examining Authority’s proposed schedule of changes to the dDCO (if required)
 Date Passed
28 April 2022
Deadline 7a (D7a)

For receipt by the ExA of:
- Written Representations (WR) on the Applicant’s changes to the application received at Deadline 4 (D4); and
- Notification of wish for any additional Interested Party to participate in an Open Floor Hearing or any additional Affected Person to participate in a Compulsory Acquisition Hearing, to be held on 29 April 2022 (if required).
 Date Passed
29 April 2022
Compulsory Acquisition Hearing 3 (CAH3)
Time reserved for a further Compulsory Acquisition Hearing (CAH3).
 Date Passed
29 April 2022
Issue Specific Hearing 5 (ISH5)
Time reserved for a further Issue Specific Hearing (ISH5).
 Date Passed
29 April 2022
Open Floor Hearing 2 (OFH2)
Time reserved for a further Open Floor Hearing (OFH2).
 Date Passed
06 May 2022
Deadline 8 (D8)

Deadline for the receipt by the Examining Authority (ExA) of:
- Responses to Relevant Representations and Written Representations on the Applicant’s changes to the application received at D4
- Written summaries of oral submissions to Hearing(s) held on 29 April 2022 (if held)
- Any post-Hearing submissions requested at the Hearings (if held)
- Responses to the RIES (if issued)
- Responses to the ExA’s proposed schedule of changes to the dDCO (if issued)
- Comments on responses received by D7
- Progressed Statements of Common Ground
- Progressed Statement of Commonality for SoCG
- 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 under Rule 17 of the Examination Rules
View the documents received relating to this deadline
 Date Passed
16 May 2022
Deadline 9 (D9)

Deadline for the receipt by the Examining Authority (ExA) of:
- Comments on responses to the RIES (if issued)
- Comments on responses to the ExA’s proposed schedule of changes to the dDCO (if issued)
- Comments on responses received by D8
- Finalised Statements of Common Ground
- Finalised Statement of Commonality for SoCG
- Finalised Guide to the Application
- Final version of the draft Development Consent Order (dDCO) in clean and tracked versions
- Final dDCO to be submitted by the Applicant in the SI template with the SI template validation report
- Finalised Schedule of changes to the dDCO
- Finalised Compulsory Acquisition Schedule in clean and tracked versions
- Any further information requested by the ExA under Rule 17 of the Examination Rules
View the documents received relating to this deadline
 Date Passed
16 May 2022
Examination closed