Section 73A Proceedings for questioning certain decisions under sections 70 and 71C1C2C3C4F1
United Kingdom
If a person is aggrieved by a decision of the Scottish Ministers to which this section applies, and wishes to question the validity of the decision on either of the grounds mentioned in subsection (2), the person (the “aggrieved person”) may make an application to the Inner House of the Court of Session under this section.
The grounds are that—
the decision is not within the powers of the Scottish Ministers under this Part,
one or more of the relevant requirements have not been complied with in relation to the decision.
This section applies to—
a decision to cause, or not to cause, an inquiry to be held under section 70(1) in connection with the Scottish Ministers’ determination of an application for a marine licence to carry on an activity in respect of which a generating station application must also be made, and
a decision under section 71 in relation to an application for a marine licence to carry on such an activity.
An application under this section must be made within the period of 6 weeks beginning with the date on which the decision to which the application relates is taken.
On an application under this section, the Inner House of the Court of Session—
may suspend the decision until the final determination of the proceedings,
may quash the decision either in whole or in part if satisfied that—
the decision in question is not within the powers of the Scottish Ministers under this Part, or
the interests of the aggrieved person have been substantially prejudiced by failure to comply with any of the relevant requirements in relation to the decision.
In this section—
“generating station application” means an application for consent under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 (consent for the construction etc. of generating stations) which falls (or would fall) to be granted by the Scottish Ministers;
“the relevant requirements”, in relation to a decision to which this section applies, means the requirements of this Act, or of any order or regulations made under this Part, which are applicable to that decision.
Annotations
Textual amendments
- F1
Ss. 73A, 73B inserted (26.2.2015) by The Regulatory Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 (Consequential Modifications) Order 2015 (S.I. 2015/374), arts. 1(1), 9(3)
Modifications
- C1
Pt. 4 modified (7.9.2016) by The Hornsea Two Offshore Wind Farm Order 2016 (S.I. 2016/844), arts. 1(2), 36 (with arts. 37, 38)
- C2
Pt. 4 applied (E.W.S) (1.1.2022) by The Norfolk Boreas Offshore Wind Farm Order 2021 (S.I. 2021/1414), arts. 1, 32 (with arts. 41, 42, Sch. 17 para. 66)
- C3
Pt. 4 applied (E.W.S.) (5.3.2022) by The Norfolk Vanguard Offshore Wind Farm Order 2022 (S.I. 2022/138), arts. 1, 32 (with arts. 41, 42, Sch. 16)
- C4
S. 73A excluded (26.2.2015) by The Regulatory Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 (Consequential Modifications) Order 2015 (S.I. 2015/374), arts. 1(1), 9(3)
Notes on Part 4
Modifications
- C1
Pt. 4 excluded (11.3.2015) by The Dogger Bank Creyke Beck Offshore Wind Farm Order 2015 (S.I. 2015/318), arts. 1, 8(6) (with arts. 40, 41, Pt. 2 para. 4(2), Pt. 2 para. 4(3), Pt. 2 para. 19, Pt. 4 para. 3, Pt. 4 para. 4, Pt. 4 para. 16, Sch. 12 paras. 4, 9(2), 10)
- C2
Pt. 4 excluded (26.8.2015) by The Dogger Bank Teesside A and B Offshore Wind Farm Order 2015 (S.I. 2015/1592), arts. 1, 8(7) (with arts. 40, 41)
- C4
Pt. 4 modified (15.9.2016) by The River Humber Gas Pipeline Replacement Order 2016 (S.I. 2016/853), arts. 1, 39 (with art. 43)
- C5
Pt. 4 modified (22.1.2021) by The Hornsea Three Offshore Wind Farm Order 2020 (S.I. 2020/1656), arts. 1, 31 (with arts. 40, 41, Sch. 9 Pt. 5 para. 18)
- C8
Pt. 4 modified (29.12.2022) by The Keadby 3 (Carbon Capture Equipped Gas Fired Generating Station) Order 2022 (S.I. 2022/1396), arts. 1, 39 (with art. 32, Sch. 10 paras. 26(2), 68)
- C9
Pt. 4 modified (28.4.2025) by The Rampion 2 Offshore Wind Farm Order 2025 (S.I. 2025/468), arts. 1, 39 (with arts. 47, 48, Sch. 10)
- C10
Pt. 4 modified (28.7.2025) by The Mona Offshore Wind Farm Order 2025 (S.I. 2025/870), arts. 1, 5 (with arts. 37, 38, Sch. 10)
- C11
Pt. 4 modified (22.9.2025) by The Morgan Offshore Wind Project Generation Assets Order 2025 (S.I. 2025/1012), arts. 1, 5 (with arts. 9, 10)
- C12
Pt. 4 modified (27.11.2025) by The Cory Decarbonisation Project Order 2025 (S.I. 2025/1227), arts. 1, 42(1) (with Sch. 12)
- C13
Pt. 4 modified (23.12.2025) by The Morecambe Offshore Windfarm Generation Assets Order 2025 (S.I. 2025/1366), arts. 1, 5 (with arts. 9, 10)
- C14
Pt. 4 modified (8.1.2026) by The Five Estuaries Offshore Wind Farm Order 2025 (S.I. 2025/1376), arts. 1, 5 (with arts. 39, 40, Sch. 9)
- C15
Pt. 4: power to amend or modify conferred (12.2.2026) by Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Act 2026 (c. 6), ss. 22(3), 32(1) (with s. 30)
- C16
Pt. 4 modified (5.6.2026) by The North Falls Offshore Wind Farm Order 2026 (S.I. 2026/567), arts. 1, 35 (with arts. 44, 45, Sch. 14)
- C17
Pt. 4 modified (5.6.2026) by The Dogger Bank South East and West Offshore Wind Farms Order 2026 (S.I. 2026/577), arts. 1, 35 (with arts. 40, 41, Sch. 15)
Notes on Chapter 1
Modifications
- C1
Pt. 4 Ch. 1 modified (15.8.2013) by The North Blyth Biomass Power Station Order 2013 (S.I. 2013/1873), arts. 1, 27 (with art. 30)
- C2
Pt. 4 Ch. 1 modified (6.8.2014) by The Rampion Offshore Wind Farm Order 2014 (S.I. 2014/1873), arts. 1, 11, Sch. 13 Pt. 2 Sch. 14 Pts. 2 (with arts. 12, 13, Pt. 2 para. 6, Pt. 3 para. 5, Pt. 4 para. 4, Pt. 5 para. 4, Sch. 12 paras. 19)
- C3
Pt. 4 excluded (11.3.2015) by The Dogger Bank Creyke Beck Offshore Wind Farm Order 2015 (S.I. 2015/318), arts. 1, 8(6) (with arts. 40, 41, Pt. 2 para. 4(2), Pt. 2 para. 4(3), Pt. 2 para. 19, Pt. 4 para. 3, Pt. 4 para. 4, Pt. 4 para. 16, Sch. 12 paras. 4, 9(2), 10)
- C4
Pt. 4 excluded (26.8.2015) by The Dogger Bank Teesside A and B Offshore Wind Farm Order 2015 (S.I. 2015/1592), arts. 1, 8(7) (with arts. 40, 41)
- C6
Pt. 4 modified (22.1.2021) by The Hornsea Three Offshore Wind Farm Order 2020 (S.I. 2020/1656), arts. 1, 31 (with arts. 40, 41, Sch. 9 Pt. 5 para. 18)
- C9
Pt. 4 modified (28.4.2025) by The Rampion 2 Offshore Wind Farm Order 2025 (S.I. 2025/468), arts. 1, 39 (with arts. 47, 48, Sch. 10)