If your business activities could pollute air, water or land, increase flood risk, or affect land drainage, you’re likely to need an environmental permit. Operating without one when you should hold one is a criminal offence and can result in enforcement action, so getting your environmental permit application right from the outset matters.
Our environmental consultants identify which permits, consents or exemptions apply to your operations, prepare and submit your application, and deal directly with regulatory bodies on your behalf. Several of our consultants have worked for regulatory bodies themselves, so they understand what a compliant application needs to look like from both sides of the desk.
If you have prepared an application yourself or worked with another consultant, we can review the forms and supporting documentation before submission. Find out more about our environmental permit application gap analysis.
Do I need an environmental permit?
You’ll need a permit if your business operations could:
- Pollute the air, water or land.
- Increase flood risk.
- Adversely affect land drainage.
This covers a broad range of activities, from waste operations and discharges to water, to processes carried out at a regulated facility. Whether you need a standard rules permit, a bespoke environmental permit, or qualify for an exemption depends on the nature and scale of your activity and the environmental risk it presents.
Businesses discharging industrial wastewater to the public foul sewer may require a trade effluent consent from their local water company. We can assist with trade effluent discharge consent applications and variations, helping businesses secure the correct authorisation for their activities.
Our environmental permitting expertise includes specialist support for businesses operating medium combustion plant. If your business operates boilers, engines, turbines or generators between 1 and 50MWth, our Medium Combustion Plant permit application service can help you understand your obligations and obtain the appropriate environmental permit.
If your proposed works involve activities on or near a main river, flood defence or floodplain, you may also need a separate Flood Risk Activity Permit (FRAP). Our specialist Flood Risk Activity Permit application service can help determine whether a permit or exemption is required, prepare the necessary application and supporting risk assessments, and liaise with the regulator on your behalf.
For businesses undertaking activities that could generate dust emissions, a Dust Management Plan may be required as part of the supporting evidence for an environmental permit application. Our Dust Management Plans service helps businesses identify dust-related risks and establish appropriate control, monitoring and review procedures.
For businesses handling or storing combustible waste, an environmental permit application may also require a Fire Prevention Plan demonstrating how the risk of fire will be managed. Our Fire Prevention Plans service can help prepare the supporting documentation needed to demonstrate compliance with the relevant regulatory requirements.
For businesses applying for a new environmental permit or making changes to an existing installation, demonstrating compliance with the relevant Best Available Techniques is an important part of the process. Our Regulation 61 BAT Assessment service can also support businesses with reviewing their ongoing compliance against updated industry standards.
Our support doesn’t end once a permit has been granted. If your operations change or a permitted activity comes to an end, we can also advise on varying or surrendering an existing environmental permit.
If your business already holds a permit but needs to introduce new activities, change its processes or update its permitted operations, we can also help with environmental permit variations.
Key benefits of our environmental permit application service
- Confirm your business holds the correct permit for its activities.
- Identify which permit, consent or exemption applies to you.
- Hands-on support through every stage of the application.
- Expert guidance from consultants who’ve worked on both sides of the regulatory relationship.
- A single point of contact liaising with the Environment Agency or your regulator.
What to expect from our environmental permit application service
Operating without a required permit is unlawful, and permits establish legal limits on the types and amounts of pollutants an activity can release. To give you peace of mind that your business holds the correct permits, our environmental consultants can:
- Identify the permits, discharge consents or exemptions required for your business activities and processes.
- Prepare and submit application forms and supporting documentation.
- Liaise with the relevant regulatory bodies on your behalf.
- Collate and produce a desktop site condition report.
- Carry out risk assessments (e.g. H1, Best Available Techniques)- for bespoke permit applications involving potential emissions to air, water or land, an H1 assessment may be required to demonstrate that the proposed activity will not have a significant environmental impact. Find out more about our H1 risk assessment service.
- Develop odour and noise management plans – if your site has the potential to cause odour pollution, we can prepare a site-specific Odour Management Plan to identify potential sources, assess risks and establish appropriate controls.
Choosing the right permit route and permit variation
There are a number of different permits, and depending on your activity and the pollution risk, you’ll need to apply to the relevant regulatory body (i.e. the Environment Agency, Natural Resources Wales, the local authority or your water authority). Some projects may also need other consents, such as Marine and Fisheries Permits for fishing or offshore construction activities.
Lower-risk activities are often covered by a standard rules permit, while more complex or higher-risk operations typically require a bespoke environmental permit tailored to your specific processes and environmental risk profile. We can advise on the appropriate permit and guide the applicant through the entire environmental permit application process, including demonstrating that activities will be properly managed to meet permit conditions and the relevant regulations.
Permit variations for existing permits
Where your existing permit is already in place but your operations are changing, a permit variation, whether a normal or substantial variation, may be needed rather than a fresh application. Changes at installations such as factories may require this route, and we can advise on which applies to your circumstances.
Preparing your evidence and supporting documentation
A strong environmental permit application rests on the quality of the supporting documents and evidence behind it. Depending on your activity, this may include a desktop site condition report, environmental risk assessments, and odour or noise management plans. The evidence package may need to assess risks to air, land, water and groundwater, depending on the activity involved.
Submission and regulator liaison
Once your application and supporting documentation are ready, we apply through the regulator’s online service or the relevant route on your behalf, and we act as your single point of contact with the regulator throughout the process. This includes responding to any queries the regulator raises, so your application progresses without unnecessary delay.
Because several of our consultants have worked within regulatory bodies themselves, we understand how applications are assessed and what additional information a regulator is likely to request.
Ongoing support after your permit is granted
Securing your permit isn’t necessarily the end of the process. Businesses often need ongoing support to maintain compliance, respond to permit variations as operations change, or demonstrate continued adherence to the conditions attached to their permit, especially where a business continues to treat, store, transfer, or dispose of waste under an environmental permit.
Our service is delivered by a team of environmental experts, including consultants with experience working for and with regulatory bodies, who will ensure your business operates with the correct permit, leaving you free to concentrate on your core activities.
For support with the wider permitting process, including specialist assessments, management plans, permit variations and ongoing compliance, see our environmental permit applications and support service.
Further information
Related services on this page:
- Medium Combustion Plant Permits
- Permit Variations
- Surrendering Permits
- Regulation 61 BAT Assessments
- Permit Application Gap Analysis
- H1 Risk Assessments
- Trade Effluent Discharge Consent Applications and Variations
- Permitting and Compliance knowledge hub
- Odour Management Plans
- Securing an environmental permit is only the first step. Your team also needs to understand the conditions and operational controls it must follow. Our environmental permitting training helps staff understand their specific permit and how to maintain compliance.
