New Planning Legislation
24th January 2008

This Statutory Rule amends the Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1999 (SR 1999 No. 73) to take account of the Public Participation Directive (2003/35/EC). The aim of this Directive is to improve the public participation and access to justice provisions of the existing environmental impact assessment (EIA) process.

• S.R. 2008 No. 17

A Regulatory Impact Assessment was prepared for this Statutory Rule:

• EIA Amendment Regulations 2008 - Regulatory Impact Assessment 33KB

The amendments are as follows:

1. Information provided voluntarily by applicants will be subject to the same publicity requirements as an Environmental Statement.
2. Information about EIA applications will be notified to national environmental bodies and other interested persons.
3. Statements issued with decisions on EIA applications will include details of the public participation process and the procedures for challenging the validity of the decision.
4. Decisions will be publicised by electronic means, in addition to a newspaper notice, where the decision making body maintains a website for such purposes.

The Regulations also provide statutory authority for the Planning Appeals Commission to make EIA determinations in appeal cases and to carry out the administrative procedures associated with the EIA process. A number of minor procedural amendments have also been included which are designed to streamline the EIA process.

Details of the public consultation on these regulations, including responses received, are available at:

www.planning.gov.uk/Corporate_Services/Consultation_Documents/EIAConsultation