Citation, commencement, extent and interpretation

1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Infrastructure Planning (Timetable for Deciding Request for Direction) Regulations 2026.

(2) These Regulations come into force on 24th July 2026.

(3) These Regulations extend to England and Wales and (subject to paragraph (4)) to Scotland.

(4) These Regulations extend to Scotland only so far as required for the purpose of the construction (other than by a gas transporter) of an oil or gas cross-country pipe-line(2)—

(a)one end of which is in England or Wales, and

(b)the other end of which is in Scotland.

(5) In these Regulations—

“ the primary deadline ” means the end of the period of 35 days beginning with the day on which the Secretary of State receives the qualifying request( 3 );

“ the requestor ” means the person making the qualifying request;

“ the secondary deadline ” means the end of the period of 21 days beginning with the day on which the requestor is asked to provide the information under regulation 3.

Time limit for decision

2. Subject to regulation 3, where the Secretary of State receives a qualifying request for a direction under section 35B(1) of the Planning Act 2008, the Secretary of State must make a decision on the request before the primary deadline.

Provision of information

3. If, before the primary deadline, the Secretary of State asks the requestor to provide information for the purposes of making a decision on the qualifying request—

(a)any information must be provided to the Secretary of State before the secondary deadline, and

(b)the Secretary of State must make a decision on the request before the end of the period of 35 days beginning with the day after—

(i)the secondary deadline, or

(ii)the day on which the Secretary of State receives any information,

whichever is sooner.