Sorry but how's it any less legal than a normal PPG / trike combo? As for the licence, why wouldn't a normal PPG rating cover it? I think the El Reg article (I read it yesterday) said Mike C-J's Paramania made the wing as a special, but it's surely just a particularly fast Reflex variant, so that shouldn't present any problems to certify either.
A PPG (foot launched) is legal because foot launched powered aircraft are free from regulation. There is an exemption in the ANO that means that if they weigh less than 60kg (solo), 70kg (tandem) empty weight, have no more than 10 litres of fuel and are launched on foot, then no licence or airworthiness approval is required.
Once you add a trike to a PPG it becomes a microlight in law and a licence, noise certificate, insurance and registration is required. If the trike/PPG combination weighs more than 115kg (weight without fuel or pilot), or if it has a wing loading of more than 10kg/mē based on weight less pilot and fuel, then it falls outside the Single Seat De-Regulated microlight category and the aircraft needs approval or certification against a recognised airworthiness standard.
If the powered parachute weighs less than 450kg MTOW and has a stall speed, or minimum flying speed, of less then 35kts CAS, then it can be approved against BCAR Section S. If it weighs more than 450kg MTOW, or has a stall speed, or minimum flying speed, of more than 35kts CAS then it needs to be approved against one of the recognised light aircraft standards, most probably CS-VLA or CS-23.
Just to correct your point about a "PPG rating" and flying a PPG trike in the UK. If the rating in question is a BHPA or BMAA one, then it does not cover flying a PPG trike in any way. To legally fly a PPG trike in the UK you must hold either an old, current, CAA PPL Microlights (with or without the powered parachute limitation) or nowadays an NPPL Microlight (Powered Parachute). Certificates of Experience and medicals must be valid,too. The trike must also be registered, the registration must be carried on the wing, a noise certificate (or exemption) must be held and the aircraft must be insured to the minimum laid down in EU regs.
The law is clear, if a bit odd. Once you add wheels to a PPG it becomes a microlight and is subject to microlight regulations.
With regard to certification, I agree. Mike's been around in the business for as long as I can remember, so it should be able to pass. One slight problem is that there is no certification standard that applies to a canopy with this wing loading or load carrying capability, so the CAA or EASA will first have to develop the code for approval.
VP