DEFRA announced that the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2010 came into force on April 6th 2010. Water discharge consenting, groundwater authorisation and radioactive substances regulation are now part of the single environmental permitting system which helps to deliver cuts in unnecessary red tape whilst continuing to protect the environment and human health.

The Environment Agency’s Environmental Permitting web pages (www.environment-agency.gov.uk)  and Netregs website (www.netregs.gov.uk) provides detailed advice on the new procedures and offers links to new application forms, regulatory guidance and standard permit rules.

Government guidance is also available from the DEFRA website. The guidance includes additional Environmental Permitting guidance on Statutory Nuisance and several other updated documents.