Commentary on Sections Chapter 4: Further Provisions about Regulation Section 182: Additional inspectors
448.Section 182 fulfils the Government’s commitment set out in paragraph 4.33 of the Energy White Paper, “Our energy future – creating a low carbon economy” (Cm 5761), to apply proposals by Government for major infrastructure projects handled in the planning process in England to major energy projects in England and Wales where consents are awarded by the Secretary of State. The proposals are to streamline the public inquiry process by allowing lead inspectors to be assisted by further inspectors to share the work and allow issues to be considered concurrently rather than sequentially as at present. These proposals for major infrastructure projects are contained in section 44 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (c.5). This section seeks to allow that approach to be adopted for power stations and overhead line developments considered by the Secretary of State under section 36 and section 37 respectively of the Electricity Act.
449.The Energy White Paper noted that such an approach should help streamline planning processes for large renewable energy developments and other large generation plant and for major upgrades of the transmission network. It was not anticipated that it would be used for all public inquiries into power stations and overhead line developments since some inquiries could be adequately handled by a single inspector. But it would be an option available if a particular development warranted it.
450.The section provides for the Secretary of State to direct an inspector appointed for a public inquiry into a particular development to expressly consider the handling of that inquiry and for that inspector to then make recommendations on that to the Secretary of State. It is anticipated that one of the handling issues would be whether the inquiry could be effectively, and more efficiently, handled by having some issues handled concurrently. In the light of the inspector’s recommendations the Secretary of State would then appoint an appropriate number of additional inspectors for the public inquiry. These additional inspectors would then work to the inspector initially appointed (the lead inspector) handling particular issues. The lead inspector would then report to the Secretary of State taking account of the reports of the additional inspectors on particular issues.
451.This alternative approach to the handling of a public inquiry it is anticipated will require some adjustment to the current public inquiry rules governing procedural matters which are based on a single inspector considering matters, the Electricity Generating Stations and Overhead Lines (Inquiries Procedure) Rules 1990 (SI 1990/528). Revised rules would therefore need to be drawn up in consultation with the Department for Constitutional Affairs and placed before Parliament for scrutiny in due course.
452.The section covers the exercise of the Secretary of State’s powers and as such would extend to proposals in England and Wales, the territorial sea adjacent to England and Wales, and to proposals in Renewable Energy Zones established under Part 2 of this Act. Decisions on section 36 and 37 developments in Scotland and in the territorial sea adjacent to Scotland are handled by Scottish Ministers.