The Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016

Variation of an environmental permit E+W

20.—(1) The regulator may vary an environmental permit on the application of the operator or on its own initiative.

(2) A variation under this regulation must not reduce the extent of the site of a regulated facility.

(3) Paragraph (2) does not apply if the variation relates to any part of an environmental permit (or if applicable, the whole permit) that authorises the operation of a regulated facility of the following description—

(a) a Part B installation, except to the extent that it relates to a waste operation;

(b) a stand-alone water discharge activity or stand-alone groundwater activity.

(4) With respect to any part of an environmental permit (or if applicable, the whole permit) that authorises the carrying on of a stand-alone water discharge activity, a regulator must not, without the agreement of the operator, on its own initiative—

(a) within 4 years after the grant of the permit, vary any condition of the permit that relates to the water discharge activity, or

(b) within 4 years after the variation of a condition of the permit that relates to the water discharge activity, further vary that condition.

(5) Paragraph (4) does not apply if—

(a) the regulated facility is a standard facility,

(b) the regulator, on its own initiative, varies an environmental permit, or any condition of a permit, in order to comply with—

(i) an obligation [F1 under [F2 assimilated] law], or

(ii) a direction given by the appropriate authority under regulation 62, or

(c) the regulator, on its own initiative, varies an environmental permit, or any condition of a permit, in consequence of a transfer or partial transfer of an environmental permit under regulation 21.

(6) Part 1 of Schedule 5 applies in relation to an application for the variation of an environmental permit or a proposal to vary an environmental permit on the initiative of the regulator under paragraph (1).

(7) With respect to any part of an environmental permit (or if applicable, the whole permit) that authorises the carrying on of a stand-alone flood risk activity, the regulator must not, without the agreement of the operator, of its own initiative vary any condition of the permit that relates to the flood risk activity unless—

(a) in the opinion of the regulator, the circumstances in which the activity is or is to be carried on have changed such that any of the objectives in paragraph 5 of Part 1 of Schedule 25 would no longer be met, and

(b) in the case of a variation that relates to an activity that involves any construction or works, the variation relates to aspects of the construction or works which have not yet been completed.

(8) Paragraph (7) does not apply if the regulator, of its own initiative, varies an environmental permit, or any condition of a permit, in order to comply with—

(a) an obligation [F3 under [F4 assimilated] law], or

(b) a direction given by the appropriate authority under regulation 62.

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in reg. 20(5)(b)(i) substituted (31.12.2020) by The Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/39), regs. 1, 2(5); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)

F2 Word in reg. 20(5)(b)(i) substituted (27.2.2025) by The Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023 (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/82), reg. 1(2), Sch. 15 para. 38(a)

F3 Words in reg. 20(8)(a) substituted (31.12.2020) by The Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/39), regs. 1, 2(5); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)

F4 Word in reg. 20(8)(a) substituted (27.2.2025) by The Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023 (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/82), reg. 1(2), Sch. 15 para. 38(a)