(1) Except as otherwise provided in these Rules, the inspector shall determine the procedure at the inquiry.
(2) Unless in any particular case the inspector, with the consent of the acquiring authority, otherwise determines, the acquiring authority shall begin and shall have the right of final reply and the other persons entitled or permitted to appear shall be heard in such order as the inspector may determine.
(3) A person entitled to appear at the inquiry by virtue of rule 16(1) or (2) shall be entitled to call evidence, and the acquiring authority and the remaining objectors shall be entitled to cross-examine persons giving evidence, but, subject to paragraphs (2), (4), (6) and (8), the calling of evidence and the cross-examination of persons giving evidence shall otherwise be at the inspector’s discretion.
(4) The inspector may refuse to permit any of the following which the inspector considers to be irrelevant or repetitious—
(a) the giving or production of evidence;
(b) the cross-examination of persons giving evidence; or
(c) the presentation of any other matter.
(5) Where under paragraph (4) the inspector refuses to permit the giving of oral evidence, the person wishing to give the evidence may submit to the inspector in writing any evidence or other matters before the close of the inquiry.
(6) Where a person gives evidence at an inquiry by reading a summary of that person’s proof of evidence, the proof shall, unless that person notifies the inspector that he or she wishes to rely on the contents of that summary only, be treated as tendered in evidence; and the person whose evidence the proof contains shall then be subject to cross-examination on it to the same extent as if it were evidence he or she had given orally.
(7) The inspector may direct the acquiring authority to provide facilities so that any person appearing at the inquiry may be afforded a reasonable opportunity to inspect, and where practicable and on payment of a reasonable charge, take copies of, any documents open to public inspection.
(8) The inspector may require any person appearing or present at the inquiry who, in the inspector’s opinion, is behaving in a disruptive manner to leave and may refuse to permit that person to return, or may permit that person to return only on such conditions as the inspector may specify, but any such person may submit to the inspector in writing any evidence or other matters before the close of the inquiry.
(9) The inspector may allow any person to alter or add to a statement of case served under rule 8 or 9 so far as may be necessary for the purposes of the inquiry, but the inspector shall (if necessary by adjourning the inquiry) give every remaining objector and any other person who has served an outline statement under rule 5 or 6 or a statement of case under rule 8 or 9 an adequate opportunity of considering any new matter of fact or document introduced by the acquiring authority.
(10) The inspector may proceed with an inquiry in the absence of any person entitled to appear at it.
(11) The inspector may take into account any written representation or evidence or any other document received by the inspector from any person before an inquiry opens or during the inquiry, provided that the inspector discloses it at the inquiry.
(12) The inspector may from time to time adjourn the inquiry and, if the date, time and place of the adjourned inquiry are announced at the inquiry before the adjournment, no further notice shall be required.