How To Apply For An Environmental Permit

How to apply for an Environmental permit. A short guide on a rather complicated process.

If you need to apply for an environmental permit. You just fill in a few forms send it off with an application fee and thats it right? – Wrong!

Unfortunately the process of applying for an environmental permit is rather more complicated than it should be. However, saying that, businesses come in all shapes and sizes and are located in different areas. Their impacts on the environment differ depending on where they are and what they are located next to.

Once you have established that you are actually captured under the Environmental Permitting Regulations 2016, you need to decide on the type of permit that you need to apply for. This decision may have already been made for you if you are unfortunate enough to have had a visit from the Environment Agency. They may have written to you and told you to stop operations until you have applied for and been granted a permit to operate. In this case they will have told you what you need to apply for. A permit for power generation, waste recycling, flood defence, food production, surface treatment of metals etc etc. The list of “prescribed” operations under the regulations is quite long.

The supporting surveys and documentation required for each application is determined by your operation. If you store combustible waste you need to submit a fire prevention plan. If you are depositing waste into ground you need to submit a waste recovery plan. For emitting emissions into the atmosphere you need to submit an air dispersion model. The list goes on and your application will be rejected if you do not submit the appropriate documents and surveys with your application.

How To Apply For An Environmental Permit – The Process.

Ok, so now you have all your paperwork and documents ready along with your application fee. What next?

You submit the application.

You get confirmation that it and your fee has been received.

After a few months you may be notified that the application is “Duly Made” i.e. you have submitted the right documentation and the Environment Agency have accepted your application as valid. Your fee is now non-refundable. You will eventually either get a permit or it will be rejected.

You may receive a schedule 5 request for more information. If you do not respond your application will be automatically rejected. This could be a request for more drainage details, personal details of directors or a request for more details on your operation.

Assuming you respond positively, your permit is granted and you are now a legal operator.

Note – you may have to respond to several schedule 5 requests before your permit is granted.

If you need more information on the permit application process, call us on 07790147084.