Minutes:
The Chair explained that the meeting was now
inquorate, but would continue as no recommendations or decisions
were scheduled to be made.
The Senior Consultant Stantec stated that NH had formally submitted
their DCO version 2 (DCOv2) on 31 October 2022, and therefore all
documentation had been released onto the PINS website. He commented
that there were 554 overall documents containing approximately
63,000 pages. He explained that Thurrock Council and other host
local authorities now had to submit an Adequacy of Consultation
(AoC) document to PINS by 16 November, who would then decide
whether to accept the DCO by 28 November. The Senior Consultant
Stantec described how if the DCO was accepted then the team would
review all documentation, and PINS could ask for more information
if they considered it necessary. He stated that the whole process
would take approximately 15-18 months, and this would begin, if the
DCOv2 application was accepted on 28 November, with PINS appointing
five panel members in early December, who would then have between 3
and 5 months to review all the documents. He explained that PINS
would then set up a preliminary meeting, probably in April/May 2023
before the public Examination phase starting in approximately June
2023. He stated that PINS would ask questions of the applicant and
stakeholders, once they had completed their review of the
documentation, and responders would have approximately three weeks
to respond. He commented that public and topic hearings would also
be held during this time, and this Examination was expected to
finish in December 2023. He explained that PINS would have three
months to prepare their recommendations before the report was sent
to the Department of Transport. He explained that the Secretary of
State would then have three months to grant consent or not. The
Senior Consultant Stantec explained that therefore a decision from
government was expected in mid-2024. He stated that interested
parties could make representations to NH either through written
questions or at an in-person hearing, but these people/groups would
have to register to become an interested party on the PINS website.
He summarised and stated that Thurrock Council had now drafted the
AoC and this was currently going through governance
processes.
The Chair queried how long people would have to register and when
they could do this. The TCAG Representative replied that people
usually had at least 30 days to register as an interested party,
but this could be longer. She stated that people could now register
for updates, which would inform them via email when registration as
an interested party was open. The Senior Consultant Stantec added
that the Council would publicise on their website when registration
as an interested party was open, and the PINS Advice Note had been
published, giving advice to the public. The TCAG Representative
highlighted that documents could be filtered and searched on the
PINS website. The Chair queried who could register as an interested
party. The Senior Consultant Stantec replied that any business,
individual or group in the UK could register.