Planning and Development Act 2024

Screening for environmental impact assessment for purposes of determining if development is exempted development

232. (1) The competent authority shall carry out a screening for environmental impact assessment of a relevant development in respect of which—

(a) a request under section 10 is made for a declaration on the question of whether or not that relevant development is exempted development, or

(b) an appeal against any such declaration is brought,

for the purpose of determining whether or not—

(i) in the case of proposed development in respect of which such request or appeal is made or brought, the proposed development (either individually or cumulatively with any other project) is likely to have significant effects on environment, or

(ii) in the case of development in respect of which such request or appeal is made or brought, the development (either individually or cumulatively with any other project) has had, is having or is likely to have significant effects on the environment.

(2) For the purpose of performing its functions under this section, the competent authority may—

(a) require—

(i) the person who made the request under section 10 ,

(ii) any person who brought an appeal under section 10 , or

(iii) any other person as the competent authority considers appropriate,

to provide the competent authority with the information referred to in subsection (3) of section 229 , and such other information as it considers necessary to enable it to carry out the screening of the development for environmental impact assessment, or

(b) consult with such persons as the competent authority considers appropriate.

(3) Where a person referred to in subparagraph (i) of paragraph (a) of subsection (2) fails to comply with a requirement under that subsection—

(a) within such period as may be specified in the requirement, or

(b) within such further period as the competent authority may subsequently agree to at the request of that person,

the request under section 10 shall be deemed to have been withdrawn.

(4) Where a person referred to in subparagraph (ii) of paragraph (a) of subsection (2) fails to comply with a requirement under that subsection—

(a) within such period as may be specified in the requirement, or

(b) within such further period as the competent authority may subsequently agree to, at the request of that person,

the appeal under section 10 shall be deemed to have been withdrawn.

(5) Where, on the basis of a screening for environmental impact assessment carried out under this section, the competent authority makes a determination that the relevant development (either individually or cumulatively with any other project) has had or is likely to have significant effects on the environment—

(a) an environmental impact assessment of the relevant development shall be required, and

(b) the development shall not be exempted development.

(6) The competent authority shall, as soon as may be after making a determination under this section—

(a) give notice of the determination (including the reasons for the determination) to—

(i) the person who made the request under section 10 , and

(ii) the parties to any appeal under section 10 from a declaration under that section in relation to the request,

(b) make the determination (including the reasons for the determination) available for inspection (free of charge) by members of the public at its offices during normal office hours, and

(c) publish the determination (including the reasons for the determination) on an internet website maintained by it or on its behalf.