, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with Energy sector developers
Okay. And given the current performance of the DNS system, and the constant extending of timescales, one suggestion to us is that the Minister would have to make a statement to the Senedd, were they to wish to extend the deadline for determining an…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with Energy sector developers
Okay. Fine. Tom, and then Liz, is there sufficient clarity for your representation?
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with Energy sector developers
We'll come on to that in a minute. So, six months for the inquiry, three months for the report, and three months for the decision—is that good enough, in your view?
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with Energy sector developers
Okay. We'll come on to that in a minute.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with Energy sector developers
You've made clear in your written evidence that the DNS process is not fit for purpose and clarity is crucial. How much further clarity do you require over and above the 52 weeks statutory time frame? Matthew, shall I start with you?
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with Energy sector developers
I'm done.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with Energy sector developers
Okay. Can I stop—? We're coming on to that shortly.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with Energy sector developers
Thank you for that. Tom, any comments on this?
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with Energy sector developers
Thank you. Tom and Matthew, have you got any views on this?
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with Energy sector developers
Yes. Well, we'll be talking to them.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with Energy sector developers
I've got that. So, is this clause something we should stick into our Bill, so that there is that guarantee that applicants will simply not lodge an application formally until they've done the consultation, the community involvement that's required?
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with Energy sector developers
Okay. We hear your pain.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with Energy sector developers
Liz.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with Energy sector developers
The Planning Act 2008 allows the examining authority to consider whether material submitted is comprehensive enough to allow meaningful examination to take place. Has it ever been used in England, and therefore, how useful would it be in this Bill? Does…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with the National Infrastructure Planning Association
Thank you.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with the National Infrastructure Planning Association
You shouldn't, but nevertheless would you not oppose the examining inspector being able to say, 'Go away, this is insufficient', or do you think that what you have already—
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with the National Infrastructure Planning Association
Do you think the Planning Act 2008 should include the examining inspector being able to say, 'We need further evidence here. This is incomplete'?
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with the National Infrastructure Planning Association
We'll have that discussion another day. But are you a fan of the Planning Act 2008, which enables the examining inspector to consider whether the material submitted by the developer is comprehensive enough to allow meaningful examination to take place, and…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with the National Infrastructure Planning Association
Okay, well, they need to do it—
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with the National Infrastructure Planning Association
Are the pre-application consultation requirements in the Bill sufficient to ensure that developers actually do the spade work on this before they actually submit their application?
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with the National Infrastructure Planning Association
Thank you. That's a really useful answer. Thank you.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with the National Infrastructure Planning Association
Okay. I got that. I just want to go back to what you were saying about hundreds of questions that may or may not be relevant, or get used. How, in legal terms, could we stop people going on a fishing trip—you know, just asking questions, so that, 'I'll do it…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with the National Infrastructure Planning Association
Fine. So, under what circumstances would you see an examining authority dispatching a decision just by written procedure? Is it something that's so technical that nobody actually living in our country would be all that interested, or it was so similar to some…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with the National Infrastructure Planning Association
Thank you. In your evidence, you do outline that there are some things you'd like to see being taken by written procedure, obviously in the interests of moving at pace to develop our renewable energy infrastructure. Could you just elaborate a little bit more…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with the National Infrastructure Planning Association
Thank you. We've received mixed and contrary views about whether the examining authority should be able to decide on significant projects or whether every decision should be made by Welsh Ministers, given that, by definition, they are all significant…
