# The Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2017, Regulation 15: Application without an environmental statement

Extent: N.I.

(1) Where an EIA application, including an application in respect of development which it has been determined is EIA development under regulation 12 or 14, is not accompanied by an environmental statement or a statement referred to by the applicant as an environmental statement for the purpose of these Regulations, the council or, as the case may be, the Department shall notify the applicant in writing that the submission of such a statement is required.
(2) Where notification is given by the Department under paragraph (1), it shall send a copy of the notification to the council or councils in whose district the proposed development is to be situated.
(3) The council or, as the case may be, the Department shall notify the applicant in accordance with paragraph (1) within 4 weeks from the date of receipt of the application or such longer period as may be agreed in writing with the applicant.
(4) An applicant receiving a notification pursuant to paragraph (1) shall, within 4 weeks from the date of the determination, inform the council or, as the case may be, the Department, in writing, that the applicant—
(a) accepts the determination and proposes to provide an environmental statement; or
(b) does not accept the determination and proposes to seek a hearing before the Commission.
(5) If the applicant does not inform the council or, as the case may be, the Department in writing in accordance with paragraph (4), the permission or subsequent consent sought shall be deemed to be refused at the end of the relevant 4 week period and a deemed refusal by the council shall not give rise to an appeal to the Commission by virtue of section 58 or 60.
(6) Where, following receipt of a notification pursuant to paragraph (1), an applicant proposes to seek a hearing before the Commission, the applicant shall by notice in writing inform the Commission to such effect within 4 weeks from the date of the notification.
(7) Where the council or, as the case may be, the Department determines or, following a hearing by the Commission, confirms that an environmental statement is required, the statement shall be submitted within 6 months from the date of determination or such extended period as may be agreed in writing between the applicant and the council or Department.
(8) If the applicant does not submit an environmental statement in accordance with paragraph (7), the application for planning permission or subsequent application shall be deemed to be refused and a deemed refusal by the council shall not give rise to an appeal to the Commission by virtue of section 58 or 60.
(9) Where, following a hearing by the Commission, the council or, as the case may be, the Department withdraws its determination that an environmental statement is required, the period within which the application for planning permission or subsequent application is to be determined shall be calculated from the date of notice to the applicant of the council’s or Department’s withdrawal.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisr/2017/83/regulation/15 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/planning-environmental-impact-assessment-regulations-northern-ireland-2017/regulation-15
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.