Southampton to London Pipeline Project application
The Planning Inspectorate accepts Southampton to London Pipeline Project application for examination
Yesterday, Tuesday 11 June 2019, The Planning Inspectorate accepted for examination an application by Esso Petroleum Company Limited for a proposed 90 km replacement pipeline project that would run from Fawley Refinery near Southampton to Esso’s West London Terminal Storage Facility in Hounslow.
The application was submitted on 14 May 2019 and the decision to accept the application was made in accordance with section 55 of the Planning Act 2008 (as amended). The legislation allows 28 days from the day after the date of receipt of an application for the Planning Inspectorate to decide whether or not to accept it.
The decision and a copy of the application documents can be viewed at the Southampton to London Pipeline Project page on the Inspectorate’s National Infrastructure Planning website.
The Planning Act 2008 (as amended) sets high standards for applications and places a strong duty upon developers to involve the local community, local authorities and other stakeholders in the development of their proposal, ahead of submission.
It is now for Esso Petroleum Company Limited to publicise the fact that its application has been accepted to proceed to examination and invite people who are interested in the proposal to register with the Planning Inspectorate as an Interested Party by making a Relevant Representation.
Interested Parties in an application can:
- Say what they agree or disagree with in the application and why
- Comment on what other people have said in their representations
- Attend the preliminary meeting and say how they think the application should be examined
- Request that an open floor hearing is held
- Attend an open floor or issue-specific hearing
Request to speak at a hearing.
Ends
Journalists wanting further information should contact the Planning Inspectorate’s Press Office, on: 0303 444 5004 or 0303 444 5005 or email: press.office@planninginspctorate.gov.uk
More information on this application, including details of the developer’s website, is available in National Infrastructure’s Programme of Projects. Visit: the Projects page at https://infrastructure.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/
Notes to editors:
The Planning Inspectorate is an agency of the Ministry for Housing, communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and operates within the policy framework prescribed in the Planning Act 2008, secondary legislation and the National Policy Statements.
The process in a snapshot
There are six key stages within the process. The summary below provides examples of when and how people have an opportunity to provide evidence to the Planning Inspectorate.
Pre-application
Key activities:
- Project development / developer’s pre-application consultation and publicity.
- Environmental impact assessment preparation and scoping, where required.
Public involvement:
- Have their say on the proposal to the developer through their pre application consultation
Acceptance by the Planning Inspectorate on behalf of the Secretary of State
Key activities:
- The Secretary of State has 28 days from the day after receipt to decide whether or not an application should be accepted for examination
Public involvement:
- Details will be posted at the Planning Inspectorate’s website on how to register as an interested party – if an application has been accepted for examination and publicised by the developer.
- Opportunity to legally challenge a decision not to accept an application.
Pre-examination
Key activities:
- Single Inspector or a Panel of Inspectors appointed.
- Preliminary Meeting called and held.
- Procedure and timetable set for examination.
Public involvement:
- Register to say what you agree or disagree with in the application
- Submit your representation
- View application documents submitted by the developer on the Planning Inspectorate website
- Attend the Preliminary Meeting
- Say how the examination should be conducted.
Examination
Key activities:
- A maximum of six months to carry out the examination
Public involvement:
- Submit more detailed comments in writing
- Comment on what other people have said
- Request and attend an open-floor hearing
- If being held, request to speak at open-floor and / or issue specific hearing(s)
- Comment on the local authority’s Local Impact Report - detailing the impact of the scheme on the local area.
Decision
Key activities:
- A maximum of three months for Planning Inspectorate to issue a recommendation to the relevant Secretary of State, with a statement of reasons.
- The relevant Secretary of State then has a further three months from receiving the recommendation in which to issue the decision.
Post decision
Key activities:
- Six weeks for any legal challenge.
Public involvement:
- Opportunity to challenge.