Infrastructure Planning Commission Accepts Application for Port Facilities (UK)

The Infrastructure Planning Commission announced recently (Thursday 12 January) that it accepted for examination, an application from Able Humber Ports Ltd for proposed port facilities located at Killingholme, Humberside. It comprises the construction of a new quay approximately 1,320m long, together with associated onshore facilities accommodating wind turbine manufacture, assembly and commissioning.

The application was submitted on 19 December 2011 and the decision to accept the application to proceed has been made ahead of the statutory deadline and in accordance with section 55 of the Planning Act 2008. (The IPC has 28 days from the day after the date of receipt of an application to decide whether or not to accept it).

When considering whether or not to accept an application for examination the IPC, in accordance with section 55 of the Planning Act 2008, has regard to the application documents submitted, any adequacy of consultation representations received from local authorities, and the extent to which the developer has had regard to any guidance issued (see notes below). Other matters relating to the application will be considered by the Examining Authority during the examination and interested parties will have an opportunity take part in that process and make representations if they wish.

The acceptance to proceed decision and a copy of the application can be viewed at the Able Marine Energy Park project page.

It is now for Able Humber Ports Ltd 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 IPC 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 a Preliminary Meeting and say how they think the application should be examined

Request that an open floor hearing is held

Attend and request to speak at open floor or issue-specific hearings

The Planning Act 2008, which established the IPC, 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.

 Sir Michael Pitt, Chair of the IPC, said: “This is the beginning of the examination process. Acceptance of this application for examination does not mean that consent will be given for the project to go ahead – acceptance of the application simply means that the IPC can begin to make arrangements for the formal examination of the application”

Sir Michael added “It is now for the developer to announce the period when people who are affected by this proposal can register with the IPC as interested party enabling them to take part in the examination”

A recommendation on whether or not to grant development consent for this proposal will be made to the Secretary of State for Transport following the IPC’s examination.

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Offshore Nieuws Staff, January 18, 2012 ; Image: vimeo