Regulation 11 Scoping opinions

After receiving a screening decision that a project is a significant project, but before applying for consent, the applicant may ask Natural England to provide its opinion on what information should be provided in the environmental statement (“a scoping opinion”).

If the applicant requests a scoping opinion, Natural England must consult the applicant and such of the consultation bodies as it thinks fit before providing its opinion.

If Natural England considers that it does not have sufficient information to provide a scoping opinion, it may ask the applicant to supply any additional information it requires within 28 days of the date on which it received the request for the scoping opinion.

Natural England must provide the applicant with the scoping opinion within 5 weeks of—