reg 3A National defence and civil emergencies
(1) The Secretary of State may direct that a restructuring project or an uncultivated land project or a part of such a project is exempt if— (a) the project has national defence as its sole purpose, and (b) the Secretary of State considers that an environmental impact assessment in respect of the project or the part of the project would have an adverse effect on the fulfilment of that purpose. (2) The Secretary of State may direct that a restructuring project or an uncultivated land project is exempt if— (a) the project has the response to a civil emergency as its sole purpose, and (b) the Secretary of State considers that an environmental impact assessment in respect of the project would have an adverse effect on the fulfilment of that purpose. (3) The effect of a direction that a restructuring project or an uncultivated land project is exempt under paragraph (1) or (2) is that these Regulations, except for paragraph (5), do not apply in respect of the project. (4) The effect of a direction under paragraph (1) that a part of a restructuring project or an uncultivated land project is exempt is that the project is to be treated under these Regulations as not including the part which is the subject of the direction. (5) After the Secretary of State gives a direction under paragraph (1) or (2), the Secretary of State must as soon as practicable serve notice of the direction on the applicant and Natural England.