PLANNING INSPECTORATE HEARINGS

The first set of meetings with Examining Inspector Mr Geoff Underwood were held at the Delta Hotel, Bexleyheath on 5, 6 and 7 November. Recordings and transcripts can be accessed via the Planning Inspectorate's website at the following links:
The recording and transcript for the Preliminary Meeting on
5 November 2024
The recording and transcript for the Open Floor Hearing on
5 November 2024
The recordings and transcripts for the Issue Specific Hearing on
6 November 2024
The recordings and transcripts for the Compulsory Acquisition Hearing on 7 November 2024

EXAMINATION TIMETABLE
The following information has been taken from the Planning Inspectorate website
28 November 2024 - Deadline 1 (D1) OPEN
For receipt by the ExA of: Post hearing submissions, including written summaries of oral submissions at OFH, ISH1 and CAH1, and any information requested by the ExA at the OFH, ISH1 and CAH1 Suggested locations for site inspections (Accompanied or Unaccompanied), including justification, for consideration by the ExA and to enable the Applicant to investigate access to suggested locations on third party land Notification to be heard at any additional Compulsory Acquisition Hearing (CAH2)Requests by Affected Persons (defined in section 59(4) of the Planning Act 2008) to be heard at a Compulsory Acquisition Hearing(CAH) Notification by Interested Parties to be heard orally at an Open Floor Hearing (OFH) Local Impact Reports (LIR) from Local Authorities Notification by Statutory Parties or Local Authorities of their wish to be considered as an Interested Party Land Rights Tracker Examination Tracker Policy Tracker (if required) Written Representations (WRs) including summaries if exceeding 1500 words Latest versions of Statements of Common Ground (SoCG) and Statement of Commonality (if not provided at the Pre-Examination Procedural Deadline A) Responses to Relevant Representations (RRs) (if not provided at the Pre-Examination Procedural Deadline A) Updated Book of Reference (BoR) and Schedule of Changes to the BoR, in clean and tracked versions (if required) An updated dDCO in clean, tracked and Word versions (if required) An updated Schedule of Changes to the dDCO (if required) An updated Application Guide (Application Document Tracker) (if required) in clean and tracked versions Draft planning obligation Comments on any further information/submissions accepted by the ExA Any further information requested by ExA under Rule 17 of The Infrastructure Planning (Examination Procedure) Rules 2010
20 December 2024 - Deadline 3 (D3)
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10 February 2025 - Deadline 5 (D5)
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11 March 2025 - Deadline 7 (D7)
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8 April 2025 - Deadline 7 (D7)
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2 May 2025 - Deadline 7 (D7)
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13 December 2024 - Deadline 2 (D2)
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17 January 2025 - Deadline 4 (D4)
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25 February 2025 - Deadline 6 (D6)
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25 March 2025 - Deadline 6 (D6)
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25 April 2025 - Deadline 7 (D7)
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5 May 2025 - Deadline 7 (D7)
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28 November 2024 - Deadline 1 (D1) OPEN
For receipt by the ExA of:
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Post hearing submissions, including written summaries of oral submissions at OFH, ISH1 and CAH1, and any information requested by the ExA at the OFH, ISH1 and CAH1
-
Suggested locations for site inspections (Accompanied or Unaccompanied), including justification, for consideration by the ExA and to enable the Applicant to investigate access to suggested locations on third party land
-
Notification to be heard at any additional Compulsory Acquisition Hearing (CAH2)Requests by Affected Persons (defined in section 59(4) of the Planning Act 2008) to be heard at a Compulsory Acquisition Hearing(CAH)
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Notification by Interested Parties to be heard orally at an Open Floor Hearing (OFH)
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Local Impact Reports (LIR) from Local Authorities
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Notification by Statutory Parties or Local Authorities of their wish to be considered as an Interested Party
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Land Rights Tracker
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Examination Tracker
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Policy Tracker (if required)
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Written Representations (WRs) including summaries if exceeding 1500 words
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Latest versions of Statements of Common Ground (SoCG) and Statement of Commonality (if not provided at the Pre-Examination Procedural Deadline A)
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Responses to Relevant Representations (RRs) (if not provided at the Pre-Examination Procedural Deadline A)
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Updated Book of Reference (BoR) and Schedule of Changes to the BoR, in clean and tracked versions (if required)
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An updated dDCO in clean, tracked and Word versions (if required)
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An updated Schedule of Changes to the dDCO (if required)
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An updated Application Guide (Application Document Tracker) (if required) in clean and tracked versions
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Draft planning obligation
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Comments on any further information/submissions accepted by the ExA
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Any further information requested by ExA under Rule 17 of The Infrastructure Planning (Examination Procedure) Rules 2010
20 December 2024 - Publication by the ExA
Publication by the ExA of:
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First Written Questions (ExQ1)
13 December 2024 - Deadline 2 (D2)
For receipt by the ExA of:
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Comments on any further information or submissions received at Deadline 1, including LIRs and WRs
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Any comments on the change to the application detailed in Annex B, Item 6, and accepted by the ExA into the Examination
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Applicant’s draft itinerary for an Accompanied Site Inspection (ASI) and suggestions for any locations for unaccompanied site inspection (USI)
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Comments on the draft planning obligation
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Any further information requested by ExA under Rule 17 of the Examination Rules
10 February 2025 - Hearings
Week commencing Monday 10 February 2025 (if required) for:
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Issue Specific Hearing 2 (ISH2) draft Development Consent Order (dDCO)
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Any further Issue Specific Hearings (If required)
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Compulsory Acquisition Hearing 2 (CAH2) (If required)
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Open Floor Hearing (OFH2) (if required)
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Accompanied Site Inspection (ASI)
25 February 2025 - Deadline 4 (D
For receipt by the ExA of:
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Post hearing submissions, including written summaries of oral submissions and any information requested by the ExA at the Hearings w/c 10 February 2025
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Comments on any other information or submissions submitted at Deadline 3
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Updated Land Rights Tracker
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Updated Examination Tracker
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Updated Policy Tracker (if required)
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Updated SoCG and Statement of Commonality (if required)
-
Updated BoR and Schedule of Changes to the BoR, in clean and tracked versions (if required)
-
Updated dDCO in clean, tracked and Word versions, schedule of changes to the dDCO and updated Explanatory Memorandum (if required)
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Updated Schedule of Changes to the dDCO (if required)
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Updated Application Guide (Application Document Tracker) (if required) in clean and tracked versions
-
Any further information requested by ExA under Rule 17 of the Examination Rules
17 January 2025 - Deadline 3 (D3)
For receipt by the ExA of:
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Responses to ExQ1
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Comments on any further information or submissions received at Deadline 2
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Updated Land Rights Tracker
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Updated Examination Tracker
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Updated Policy Tracker (if required)
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Updated SoCG and Statement of Commonality (as required)
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Notification of wish to attend ASI
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Updated BoR and Schedule of Changes to the BoR, in clean and tracked versions (if required)
-
Updated dDCO in clean, tracked and Word versions, schedule of changes to the dDCO and updated Explanatory Memorandum (if required)
-
Updated Application Guide (Application Document Tracker) (if required) in clean and tracked versions
-
Any further information requested by ExA under Rule 17 of The Infrastructure Planning (Examination Procedure) Rules 2010
25 March 2025 - Deadline 5 (D5)
Deadline 5 (D5)
For receipt by the ExA of:
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Response to ExQ2 (if required)
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Comments on any other information or submission submitted at D4
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Updated Land Rights Tracker
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Updated Examination Tracker
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Updated Policy Tracker (if required)
-
Updated SoCG and Statement of Commonality (if required)
-
Updated BoR and Schedule of Changes to the BoR, in clean and tracked versions (if required)
-
Updated dDCO in clean, tracked and Word versions, schedule of changes to the dDCO and updated Explanatory Memorandum (if required)
-
Updated Schedule of Changes to the dDCO (if required)
-
Updated Application Guide (Application Document Tracker) (if required) in clean and tracked versions
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Final draft of Planning Obligation
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Any further information requested by ExA under Rule 17 of the Examination Rules
11 March 2025 - Publication by the ExA 2
Publication by the ExA of:
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Second Written Questions (ExQ2) (if required)
29 April 2025 - Deadline 6 (D6)
For receipt by the ExA of:
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Comments on the RIES and responses to any associated questions (if issued)
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Comments on any other information submitted at D5
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Any further information requested by ExA under Rule 17 of The Infrastructure Planning (Examination Procedure) Rules 2010
8 April 2025 - Publication by teh ExA 3
Publication by the ExA of:
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Report on the Implications for European Sites (RIES) and any associated questions (if required)
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ExA’s commentary on, or schedule of changes to, the dDCO
2 May 2025 - Deadline 7 (D7)
For receipt by the ExA of:
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Final Land Rights Tracker
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Final Examination Tracker
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Final Policy Tracker (if required)
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Final SoCG and Statement of Commonality
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List of matters not agreed where SoCG could not be finalised
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Final BoR and Schedule of Changes to the BoR, in clean and tracked versions
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Final dDCO to be submitted by the Applicant in the SI template. Applicant to provide the email notification from https://publishing.legislation.gov.uk/validation confirming the document has successfully passed validation, and the PDF version of the SI validation report obtained from the link in the notification email. Final dDCO in clean, tracked and Word versions.
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Final schedule of changes to the dDCO and updated Explanatory Memorandum
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Final Application Guide (Application Document Tracker) in clean and tracked versions
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Final Statement of Reasons in clean and tracked versions
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Final Status of Negotiations with Statutory Undertakers
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Completed section 106 agreement
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Closing Statements
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Any further information requested by ExA under Rule 17 of The Infrastructure Planning (Examination Procedure) Rules 2010
5 May 2025 - Close of Examination
The ExA is under a duty to complete the Examination of the application by the end of the period of six months