With any logical analysis, such as yours above, which is good in part, you have allowed your own bias creep in.
It is my contention that the application stalled the moment it was submitted to the Regulator.
It has been under continuous RFI conditions the entire time.
You'll note that, through ambiguous formal wording / statement, this possibility cannot be discounted.
This double talk has been also practiced by NWBO for 20 years, leaving it to the reader to join dots, that maybe aren't there.