47.—(1) Subject to paragraph (3), an application for approval of a proposed battery compliance scheme must be made to the appropriate authority by the operator of the proposed scheme during the period specified in paragraph (2).

(2) The period referred to in paragraph (1) is, where the application is for approval in relation to—

(a)the first compliance period, the period ending on or before 31st May 2009;

(b)any other compliance period, the period commencing on 15th April and ending with 15th May in the year before the compliance period.

(3) An applicant may make an application for approval outside the period mentioned in paragraph (2) if a producer has notified the appropriate authority under regulation 15(2)(b) of its intention to join that proposed scheme.

(4) An applicant who makes an application for approval in reliance on paragraph (3) must do so within 28 days of the date of the notice served on the producer in question under regulation 54(4).

(5) An application for approval of a proposed scheme must—

(a)be in writing and signed by the appropriate person;

(b)include—

(i)the information set out in Part 1 of Schedule 3, which must be submitted in the format published by the appropriate authority under regulation 79;

(ii)a copy of an operational plan in respect of the next three compliance periods containing the information set out in Part 2 of Schedule 3; and

(c)be accompanied by the scheme application charge.