Environmental Permit Pre-Application Service

The Permitting Company provide pre-application advice to existing operators of permitted waste sites who are looking to vary their permit, new operators applying for an Environmental Permit, and operators who are needing to Surrender their permit if they no longer want to operate a regulated facility.

Environmental Permit Pre-Application

If you are applying for an Environmental Permit to carry out a waste operation or installation, you will be required to carry out a location screening of the area for the applicant site.

This is to establish what type of Environmental Permit should be applied for. There are various factors to consider at this stage which will feed into the outcome of the pre-application.

This includes:

The types of waste the operator is to accept

The amount of waste the operator accepts each year

The treatment techniques applied to the waste

The amount of waste that will be treated each day for recovery or disposal

The location of the site from sensitive receptors

Depending on the type of operation and location, the site will apply for either:

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Standard Rules Permit

Fixed set of rules for standard facilities
Location criteria specific
Rules can not be varied
Cheaper and less complex
than bespoke permits

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Mobile Plant Permit

Required for operations agreed under a deployment
Mobile plant permits can be deployed for up to 12 months
MPP’s can be deployed across multiple sites simultaneously
Only the specified treatment processes within the mobile plant permit can be carried out

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Bespoke Permit

Required for waste activities that do not meet the criteria under a standard rules permit
More expensive, complex, and time consuming to apply for
More compliance and regulation to comply with once permitted
Allows for a more diverse range of waste types and treatment techniques
Allows for more tonnage to be accepted, stored and processed on site

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Installation Permit

Required for operations defined as ‘regulated facilities’ under Schedule 1 of the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016
Requires that the operator implement best available techniques (BAT)
Allows for treatment for recovery of hazardous waste to exceed 10 tonnes per day
More expensive, complex, and time consuming to apply for than a standard rules or bespoke permit
Allows for schedule 1 listed activities to be carried out such as chemical and solvent processing

Failing to establish this before applying for a permit could mean that the applicant fails to meet the requirements at the ‘Duly Making’ stage, and the permit application will be rejected/returned.

Basic Permit Advice & Guidance

The Permitting Company provide comprehensive advice and guidance to existing and new operators who are required to apply for an Environmental Permit.

Our basic pre-application service includes guidance on:

The application forms that need to be completed and submitted to the regulator

Environmental screening to identify the distance from the application site to nature and heritage conservation sites, protected species and habitats, and other protected sites

Support in choosing the correct Standard Rules Permit

Eligibility for a Standard Rules Permit

The application charge (if it is standard rules)

Annual subsistence fees (if it is standard rules)

The management systems that need to be submitted to support the permit application

The correct qualification required to demonstrate technical competence under the operator competence scheme

If the site does not qualify for a standard rules permit, then ‘Enhanced Pre-Application’ will be required.

Enhanced Permit Advice & Guidance

Enhanced advice & guidance is required where an application is either complex due to the nature of the waste types, quantities, treatment techniques, or where it fails to meet the location requirements due to it falling within a certain proximity to either; Special Areas of Conservation (cSAC or SAC), Special Protection Area (pSPA or SPA), Marine Conservation Zone (MCZ), Ramsar, Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), Air quality Management area (AQMA), National Nature Reserve (NNR), Local Nature Reserve (LNR), Local Wildlife Sites (LWS), Ancient Woodland, Watercourse, Groundwater Source Protection Zone 1/2/3, Flood Risk Zone 2/3, Scheduled Monuments, relevant species and habitats.

Enhanced permit advice is only required when a site does not qualify for a standard rules permit. All bespoke permits are written to fit the operators activities, and for this reason, requires a paid for service from the Environment Agency to determine the relevant fees for the application, the management systems that need to be submitted for the permit, and if any specific assessments need to be carried out such as noise impact assessments.

Information required

Applying for pre-application advice will require information about the operator (individual, limited company), the site, the proposed operation such as what waste the site will receive and process, and the location of the site. A UK grid reference will be required to ensure accuracy of the area/boundary of where the waste activity will be taking place

Our Services

The Permitting Company can complete the pre-application checks to determine the most appropriate permit for your waste activity. We will also take into account any future plans to accept additional waste types to ensure your permit is future proof to avoid time consuming and costly permit variations. Furthermore, We can deal with the entire application on your behalf, or conduct the pre-application service as a one of service.

Fees:

The Permitting Company are one of the most competitively priced permitting consultancies in United Kingdom. Because every site is unique, there are no standard prices when it comes to pre-application advice or completing the permit application itself.

Why work with us?

At The Permitting Company we are more that just consultants – we’re your partners in achieving compliant successful waste operations. Here is why our clients chose us:

Regulator insight

With years of experience navigating complex environmental regulations, we ensure your application meets all permitting requirements efficiently and without unnecessary delays.

Specialist in the sector

As specialists in environmental permitting compliance, we bring the knowledge, experience and precision needed to help your project suceed from concept to completion.

Fast turnaround

We understand the importance of timescales. Our efficient processes and strong relationships with regulators help us deliver permitting solutions quickly without compromising quality.

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