Part 3Inquiries
Date and notification of date of inquiry
rule 18 18.—(1) The date fixed by the Secretary of State for the holding of an inquiry must be—
rule 18 1 a (a)within a period of 20 weeks, beginning with the starting date, unless the Secretary of State considers such a date impracticable, or
rule 18 1 b (b)the earliest date after that period which the Secretary of State considers to be practicable.
(2) Unless the Secretary of State agrees a lesser period of notice with the applicant and the relevant local planning authority, the Secretary of State must give not less than 4 weeks’ written notice of the date, time and place fixed for the holding of the inquiry to every person entitled to appear at the inquiry.
(3) Where any person entitled to appear at the inquiry has agreed that notice of the matters mentioned in paragraph (2) may be given by publishing them on a website, the written notice required under paragraph (2) is deemed to be given where, not less than 4 weeks before the date fixed for the holding of the inquiry, the Secretary of State notifies that person of—
rule 18 3 a (a)the publication,
rule 18 3 b (b)the address on the website, and
rule 18 3 c (c)the place on the website where the notice may be accessed, and how it may be accessed.
(4) The Secretary of State may vary the date fixed for the holding of an inquiry, whether or not the date as varied is within the period of 20 weeks mentioned in paragraph (1), and paragraphs (2) and (3) apply to the variation of a date as they apply to the date originally fixed.
(5) The Secretary of State may vary the time or place for the holding of an inquiry and must give such notice of any such variation as appears to the Secretary of State to be reasonable.
(6) The Secretary of State may by written notice require the relevant local planning authority to take one or more of the following steps—
rule 18 6 a (a)not less than 2 weeks before the date fixed for the holding of an inquiry, to publish a notice of the inquiry in one or more local newspapers circulating in the locality in which the land is situated;
rule 18 6 b (b)to send a notice of the inquiry to such persons or classes of person as the Secretary of State may specify, within such period as the Secretary of State may specify;
rule 18 6 c (c)to post a notice of the inquiry in a conspicuous place near to the land, within such period as the Secretary of State may specify.
(7) Where the land is under the control of the applicant, the applicant must—
rule 18 7 a (a)if so required in writing by the Secretary of State, affix a notice of the inquiry firmly to the land or to some object on or near the land, in such manner as to be readily visible to, and legible by, members of the public, and
rule 18 7 b (b)not remove the notice, or cause or permit it to be removed, for such period before the inquiry as the Secretary of State may specify.
(8) Subject to paragraph (9), every notice of inquiry published, sent or posted pursuant to paragraph (6), or affixed pursuant to paragraph (7), must contain—
rule 18 8 a (a)a clear statement of the date, time and place of the inquiry and of the powers enabling the inspector to determine the application in question,
rule 18 8 b (b)a written description of the land sufficient to identify its approximate location,
rule 18 8 c (c)a brief description of the subject matter of the application, and
rule 18 8 d (d)details of where and when copies of the following may be inspected—
rule 18 8 d i (i)any statements of case submitted to the Secretary of State in accordance with rule 13;
rule 18 8 d ii (ii)the information provided to the Secretary of State by relevant local planning authority in accordance with article 14 of the 2025 Order.
(9) A notice of inquiry must not contain or refer to any closed evidence.