Wrexham Energy Centre
Enquiry
Enquiry regarding applicant's consultation in relation to Wrexham Energy Centre Project.
Advice given
Further to my email, if you feel that consultation carried out by the applicant is inadequate or should you have any other concerns in relation to above application, I would strongly suggest that you make contact your local planning authority/ies.
As you may be aware, once Wrexham Energy Centre application is formally submitted to the Planning Inspectorate, the Inspectorate will ask local planning authorities affected by the proposal for a statement on the adequacy of the consultation. Local planning authorities represent their local areas and they act as a voice for their local communities. Moreover if the application reaches the stage of examination, appointed Examining Authority 'ExA' will invite relevant local planning authorities to submit the Local Impact Report (LIR). The purpose of such a document is to explain what are the views of the planning authority on whether the proposed development would have a positive or negative impact on their area; therefore I suggest that any concerns in relation to the proposed application are raised with the local planning authority who can then include those comments in their report.
Once the application is submitted and if it is accepted there will be an opportunity for everyone to raise their comments directly to the appointed ExA (the Planning Inspectorate). In order to be involved in the examination, you will be invited to make your comments by submitting relevant representation, once submitted it will give you a status of an Interested Party 'IP'. A Relevant Representation will allow you to submit your comments on whether you agree or disagree with the proposed application.
As you probably know, the pre-application consultation stage plays an important role within the Planning Act 2008 process. There are statutory requirements with which the applicant must fully comply with before submitting its application for consideration. Furthermore, the applicant must be satisfied that consultation carried at the pre-application stage was done to the highest possible standard. There is a duty on the applicant as well to have regard to those responses received at the pre-application consultation and that has to be clearly explained within the applicant's consultation report.
Please see Advice Note 1 on the Local Impact Report and DCLG Guidance on pre-application to which the applicants must have regard to.
Advice Note 1 - Local Impact Report
attachment 1
DCLG Guide
attachment 2
I hope that advice is helpful to you and do not hesitate to contact us should you have any further questions.