{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/town-and-country-planning-inquiries-procedure-wales-rules-2003/article-15",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/town-and-country-planning-inquiries-procedure-wales-rules-2003/article-15.json",
  "legislation": "uksi/2003/1266",
  "legislation_title": "The Town and Country Planning (Inquiries Procedure) (Wales) Rules 2003",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/town-and-country-planning-inquiries-procedure-wales-rules-2003",
  "path": "article/15",
  "kind": "article",
  "number": "15",
  "heading": "Procedure at inquiry",
  "text": "(1) Except as otherwise provided in these Rules, the inspector is to determine the procedure at an inquiry.\n(2) At the start of the inquiry the inspector must identify what are, in the inspector’s opinion, the main issues to be considered at the inquiry and any matters on which the inspector requires further explanation from the persons entitled or permitted to take part.\n(3) Nothing in paragraph (2) precludes any person entitled or permitted to take part from referring to issues which they consider relevant to the consideration of the application or appeal but which were not issues identified by the inspector pursuant to that paragraph.\n(4) Unless in any particular case the inspector otherwise determines, the local planning authority is to begin and the appellant is to have the right of final reply; and the other persons entitled or permitted to take part are to be heard in such order as the inspector may determine.\n(5) A person entitled to take part in an inquiry is entitled to call evidence and the applicant, the local planning authority and any statutory party are entitled to cross-examine persons giving evidence, but, subject to the foregoing and paragraphs (6) and (7), the calling of evidence and the cross-examination of persons giving evidence are otherwise at the discretion of the inspector.\n(6) The inspector may refuse to permit the—\n(a) giving or production of evidence;\n(b) cross-examination of persons giving evidence; or\n(c) presentation of any other matter,\nwhich the inspector considers to be irrelevant or repetitious; but where the inspector refuses to permit the giving of oral evidence, the persons wishing to give the evidence may submit to the inspector any evidence or other matter in writing before the close of the inquiry.\n(7) Where a person gives evidence at an inquiry by reading a summary of their statement of evidence in accordance with rule 13(5)—\n(a) the statement of evidence referred to in rule 13(1) is to be treated as tendered in evidence unless the person required to provide the summary notifies the inspector of a wish to rely on the contents of that summary alone; and\n(b) the person whose evidence the statement contains is to be subject to cross-examination on it to the same extent as if it were evidence which had been given orally.\n(8) The inspector may direct that facilities be afforded to any person taking part in an inquiry to take or obtain copies of documentary evidence open to public inspection.\n(9) The inspector may—\n(a) require any person present at an inquiry who, in the inspector’s opinion, is behaving in a disruptive manner to leave; and\n(b) refuse to permit that person to return; or\n(c) permit that person to return only on such conditions as the inspector may specify,\nbut any such person may submit to the inspector any evidence or other matter in writing before the close of the inquiry.\n(10) The inspector may allow any person to alter or add to a statement of case submitted by that person and received by the National Assembly or by the inspector under rule 6 so far as may be necessary for the purposes of the inquiry; but must (if necessary by adjourning the inquiry) give every other person entitled to, and who does, take part in the inquiry an adequate opportunity of considering any fresh matter or document.\n(11) The inspector may proceed with an inquiry in the absence of any person entitled to take part in it.\n(12) The inspector may take into account any written representation or evidence or any other document received by the inspector from any person before an inquiry opens or during the inquiry provided that the inspector discloses it at the inquiry.\n(13) The inspector may from time to time adjourn an inquiry and, if the date, time and place of the adjourned inquiry are announced at the inquiry before the adjournment, no further notice is required.\n(14) In respect of any inquiry which the National Assembly expects to last for 8 or more days, any person who takes part in the inquiry and who makes closing submissions must by the close of the inquiry provide the inspector with a copy of those closing submission in writing.",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2003/1266/article/15",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T06:24:15.667569+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}