Environmental permitting summary
The law places an emphasis on preventing or minimising emissions wherever achievable and ensuring that emissions occur in a controlled manner. Operators of certain industrial and agricultural processes must have a permit issued in accordance with the relevant legislation (see below).
The permits are issued either by the Council, or by the Environment Agency, depending on the type of process being applied for.
There are fees associated with the application, as well as a yearly subsistence charge. The fees are set by DEFRA, but are collected by the Council or the Environment Agency as applicable. Please see the fees section below for more information.
Regulation summary
Part 1 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 gives local authorities and the Environment Agency regulatory control of emissions to air from a range of different industrial activities, known as 'prescribed processes'.
The Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC) regime replaces the former Local Authority Pollution Control (LAPC) and Integrated Pollution Control (IPC) regimes, and is currently implemented by the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) 2010 Regulations (EPR 2010) .
Public registers and associated information
One of the main statutory duties that the Environmental Health section has regarding air pollution control is to regulate certain industrial processes. Initially this was undertaken according to regulations made under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Now many of these regulations have been superseded by new ones made under a new Act termed the Pollution Prevention and Control Act 1999. A public register of all such regulated processes can be inspected at the Council offices and lists of these processes are available:
Permitted Processes Registers: [pdf.document - will open in new browser window] A2 permits
[pdf.document - will open in new browser window] B permits
[pdf.document - will open in new browser window] Petrol permits
Details of all part A1, A2 and B processes in the South Hams are kept on our public register. To arrange a viewing of this register, please contact us between the hours of 09.00 am and 5.00 pm, Monday to Friday.
The Environment Agency regulates the largest processes (A1). If you have any enquiries regarding their regulation of A1 processes please contact the Environment Agency Devon area office, either by telephone on 08708 506506 or via the Environment Agency website.
In addition to those processes currently regulated by South Hams District Council or the Environment Agency, processes that have at some time been permitted but have subsequently had the permit revoked are also held on the public register. For the majority, this is for the simple reason that the process has ceased to operate, or that operating parameters have fallen below that at which a permit is required - but this is not the case for all.
Application forms and associated documents
Please contact the Environmental Health Department if you require an application form. Hard copies of all completed application forms, including the relevant payment should be sent to South Hams District Council's Environmental Health Department (see contact details below).
Apply online
Part A2 processes
Apply for an environmental permit part A2
Part B processes
Apply for an environmental permit part B
Apply to change an environmental permit
Target completion time
All applications received for a permit to operate shall be processed in accordance with the timescales prescribed by the Environmental Permitting Regulations 2007 - please refer to Manual A of the General Guidance Manual for more detailed information.
Will tacit consent apply?
No. It is in the public interest that the authority must process your application before it can be granted. We will acknowledge your application on receipt. In the unlikely event that you have not heard from us at the end of the processing timescales identified above, please contact us.
Fees
Click here to view fees for licence applications
Contact details
Address
The Licensing Department
South Hams District Council
Follaton House
Plymouth Road
Totnes
Devon
TQ9 5NE
Tel: 01803 861234
Fax: 01803 861294
Email: licensing@southhams.gov.uk
Further information
The General Guidance Manual offers further guidance and information in relation to all aspects of the permitting process.
Process specific guidance notes offer detailed guidance on particular types of processes.
In addition to the above, the following websites contain related material:
DEFRA - pollution pages
Environment Agency - 'What's in your backyard?'
