Commentary on Sections Powers to change the requirement or its effect Section 23 – Directions for applications to be treated as applications for infrastructure consent
49.Section 23 provides that if the Welsh Ministers give a direction under section 22, the Welsh Ministers have the power to direct that—
	an application that has been made for a permission, authorisation, consent etc. mentioned in section 20 is to be treated as an application for infrastructure consent, or
	a proposed application for such a consent is to be treated as a proposed application for infrastructure consent.
50.Directions made under this section may provide for specified provisions of any enactment (including enactments in the Act) to have effect in relation to the application or proposed application with any modifications specified in the direction or to be treated as having been complied with in relation to the application or proposed application.
51.If the Welsh Ministers give a direction under this section, the relevant authority must refer the application, or the proposed application, to the Welsh Ministers. The “relevant authority” is the authority to which the application is made, or is proposed to be made.
52.If the Welsh Ministers are considering whether to give a direction under this section they may also direct the relevant authority to take no further action until further notice.