PART 2CONSULTATION BY NATURAL ENGLAND

Advertisement relating to a report

2.—(1) Natural England’s duty to advertise a report (under paragraph 2(1)(a) of the Reports Schedule) must be performed on, or as soon as reasonably practicable after, the submission date of that report.

(2) Natural England must advertise a report—

(a)in one or more local or regional newspapers circulating in the area to which that report relates;

(b)on Natural England’s website; and

(c)in any other manner that Natural England thinks appropriate for drawing the attention of members of the public to the report.

(3) An advertisement relating to a report must enable the report and its subject-matter to be identified, and for that purpose must include the following—

(a)the report’s submission date;

(b)details of the land to which the report relates;

(c)details of the nature of the proposed public rights of access over that land; and

(d)details of where the report may be viewed or inspected.

(4) An advertisement relating to a report must—

(a)invite representations about the report under paragraph 7(1) of the Reports Schedule;

(b)specify that such representations must be made in accordance with the applicable requirements of regulation 4 (objections and representations about a report);

(c)specify that a form for making such representations may be obtained from Natural England; and

(d)specify Natural England’s postal address and address for receiving an electronic communication.

Notice of a report by Natural England

3.—(1) Schedule 1 specifies persons for the purposes of paragraph 2(2)(f) of the Reports Schedule.

(2) Natural England’s duty (under paragraph 2(1)(b) of the Reports Schedule) to take such steps as are reasonable to give notice of a report must be performed on, or as soon as reasonably practicable after, the submission date of that report.

(3) Such a notice to persons with a relevant interest(1) in affected land—

(a)must be in the form set out in Schedule 2; and

(b)must be accompanied by the forms set out—

(i)in Schedule 4, and

(ii)in Schedule 5.

(4) Such a notice to other interested persons—

(a)must be in the form set out in Schedule 3; and

(b)must be accompanied by the form set out in Schedule 5.

Objections and representations about a report

4.—(1) Objections and representations must be made in writing to Natural England.

(2) Objections must be made on the form set out in Schedule 4.

(3) Representations must be made on the form set out in Schedule 5.

(4) Any objections or representations made about a report must be received by Natural England within the period of eight weeks beginning with the date on which that report was first advertised on Natural England’s website.

(5) A person who has made an objection or a representation may withdraw that objection or representation at any time by giving notice in writing to Natural England.

(6) In this regulation “representation” means a representation about a report made under paragraph 7(1) of the Reports Schedule.