Environmental permits (Part A2 and B)

Licence summary

Companies carrying out activities that could potentially cause emissions to air, land or water may need to hold an Environmental Permit under the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2007. If certain changes occur to the activity, or the company changes hands, then the permit may need to be varied or transferred. If the activity ceases, then the permit will need to be surrendered.

Eligibility criteria

To find out whether or not your company needs to hold, vary, transfer or surrender a permit please visit the DEFRA web site

Regulation summary

Fees will be payable for applications and conditions will be attached to all permits.

There may also be a charge to vary, transfer or surrender an existing permit.
Annual subsistence fees are payable each year.
Fees for the current year can be found on the DEFRA web site

Application evaluation process

Firstly, we check that the application is valid, called ‘duly-made’ i.e.. it includes everything needed to allow a decision to be made, called a determination.. The determination period within which the application should be decided does not begin until the application has been duly-made

If we are of the opinion that an application is not duly-made, we will return it, along with any fee. We will tell you why we consider the application was not duly-made.

We will determine a duly-made application within 5 months & 3 weeks for an A2 application, 4 months for a Part B application, and 3 months for dry cleaners and small waste oil burners unless we agree longer time scales with you. This is excluding time given with a request for information notice, time taken to determine a request for commercial confidentiality (under an appeal, information must remain withheld until determination of the appeal) or time taken to consult on off site conditions.

We will determine applications for substantial variations within 4 months, and for non-substantial variations within 3 months unless a longer time period is agreed.
We will determine applications for permit transfers within 2 months, unless a longer time period is agreed.
We will determine A2 surrender applications within 3 months, unless a longer time period is agreed.
Notification to surrender a Part B installation must be submitted to us at least 20 working days before the surrender is to take effect.

For more information or assistance please contact Environmental Health on 023 8083 3002 or at: environmental.health@southampton.gov.uk or see our web pages here

Will tacit consent apply?

No. It is in the public interest that Southampton City Council must process your application before it can be granted. If you have not heard from us within a reasonable period, please contact us. You can do this online here if you applied through the UK Welcomes service or use the contact details below.

Applications

Apply online - Part A2 application

Apply online - Part B application

Tell us about a change to your existing circumstances or to pay an annual subsistence fee

Either submit your application online or return 3 copies of your completed application form, together with the appropriate fee, to:

Regulatory Services (Commercial)
Southampton City Council
Floor 5
One Guildhall Square
Southampton
SO14 7FP

Failed application redress

You have the right to appeal to the Secretary of State if you are refused a permit. However, please contact us in the first instance. The General Guidance Manual on Policy and Procedures for A2 and B Installations (Defra 2009) sets out the process.

Licence holder redress

You have the right to appeal to the Secretary of State if you are dissatisfied with the conditions imposed. However, please contact us in the first instance. The General Guidance Manual on policy and procedures for A2 and B Installations (Defra 2009) sets out the process and is available on the DEFRA web site.

Consumer complaint

We would always advise that in the event of a complaint the first contact is made with the trader by you – preferably in the form of a letter (with proof of delivery). If that has not worked, if you are located in the UK, Consumer Direct will give you advice. From outside the UK contact the UK European Consumer Centre.

Other redress

Please contact us at: environmental.health@southampton.gov.uk.