Town and Country Planning (Major Infrastructure Project Inquiries Procedure) (England) Rules 2005 (S.I. 2115 of 2005).

These Rules prescribe the procedure to be followed in connection with local inquiries relating to applications for planning permission or for the approval of a local planning authority required under a development order held by the Secretary of State in England, where he or she thinks that the development to which the application relates is of national or regional importance. The Rules have been made in consequence of the enactment of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 which inserted new sections 76A and 76B into the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. The Rules apply in relation to England only. They reproduce, with amendments, the Town and Country Planning (Major Infrastructure Projects Inquiries Procedure) (England) Rules 2002. The principal changes made by these Rules to apply to major infrastructure project inquiries is to enable inquiries to be held in concurrent sessions by a number of inspectors, where the lead inspector so recommends to the Secretary of State and to provide for publicity for inspector's notes of pre-inquiry meetings and recommendations.