Environmental Protection Act 1990

43 Appeals to Secretary of State from decisions with respect to licences. E+W+S

[F1 (1) Where, except in pursuance of a direction given by the Secretary of State,—

(a) an application for a licence or a modification of the conditions of a licence is rejected;

(b) a licence is granted subject to conditions;

(c) the conditions of a licence are modified;

(d) a licence is suspended;

(e) a licence is revoked under section 38 or 42 above;

(f) an application to surrender a licence is rejected; or

(g) an application for the transfer of a licence is rejected;

then, except in the case of an application for a transfer, the applicant for the licence or, as the case may be, the holder or former holder of it may appeal from the decision to the Secretary of State and, in the case of an application for a transfer, the proposed transferee may do so.

(2) Where an appeal is made to the Secretary of State—

F2 (a) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F2 (b) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(c) if a party to the appeal so requests, or the Secretary of State so decides, the appeal shall be or continue in the form of a hearing (which may, if the person hearing the appeal so decides, be held or held to any extent in private).

F3 [(2A) This section is subject to section 114 of the Environment Act 1995 (delegation or reference of appeals etc).]

(3) Where, on such an appeal, the Secretary of State or other person determining the appeal determines that the decision of the authority shall be altered it shall be the duty of the authority to give effect to the determination.

(4) While an appeal is pending in a case falling within subsection (1)(c) or (e) above, the decision in question shall, subject to subsection (6) below, be ineffective; and if the appeal is dismissed or withdrawn the decision shall become effective from the end of the day on which the appeal is dismissed or withdrawn.

(5) Where an appeal is made in a case falling within subsection (1)(d) above, the bringing of the appeal shall have no effect on the decision in question.

(6) Subsection (4) above shall not apply to a decision modifying the conditions of a licence under section 37 above or revoking a licence under section 38 or 42 above in the case of which the notice effecting the modification or revocation includes a statement that in the opinion of the authority it is necessary for the purpose of preventing or, where that is not practicable, minimising pollution of the environment or harm to human health that that subsection should not apply.

(7) Where the decision under appeal is one falling within subsection (6) above or is a decision to suspend a licence, if, on the application of the holder or former holder of the licence, the Secretary of State or other person determining the appeal determines that the authority acted unreasonably in excluding the application of subsection (4) above or, as the case may be, in suspending the licence, then—

(a) if the appeal is still pending at the end of the day on which the determination is made, subsection (4) above shall apply to the decision from the end of that day; and

(b) the holder or former holder of the licence shall be entitled to recover compensation from the authority in respect of any loss suffered by him in consequence of the exclusion of the application of that subsection or the suspension of the licence;

and any dispute as to a person’s entitlement to such compensation or as to the amount of it shall be determined by arbitration or in Scotland by a single arbiter appointed, in default of agreement between the parties concerned, by the Secretary of State on the application of any of the parties.

(8) Provision may be made by the Secretary of State by regulations with respect to appeals under this section and in particular—

(a) as to the period within which and the manner in which appeals are to be brought; and

(b) as to the manner in which appeals are to be considered.]

Textual Amendments

F1 S. 43 repealed (E.W.) (6.4.2008) by The Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2007 (S.I. 2007/3538), regs. 73, 74(2), Sch. 21 para. 10, Sch. 23 (with reg. 72, Sch. 4)

F2 S. 43(2)(a)(b) repealed (1.4.1996) by 1995 c. 25, s. 120(1)(3), Sch. 22 para.77, Sch.24 (with ss. 7(6), 115, 117); S.I. 1996/186, art.3

F3 S. 43(2A) inserted (1.4.1996) by 1995 c. 25, s. 120(1), Sch. 22 para. 77 (with ss. 7(6), 115, 117); S.I. 1996/186, art. 3

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 43: power to delegate functions conferred (1.4.1996) by 1995 c. 25, s. 114(2)(a)(iii) (with ss. 7(6), 115, 117); S.I. 1996/186, art.3

Commencement Information

I1 S. 43 not in force at Royal Assent, see s. 164(3); s. 43(8) in force at 18.2.1993 by S.I. 1993/274, art. 2(1); s. 43 in force in so far as not already in force at 1.5.1994 save for purposes of application to activities specified in art. 2(2) of the commencing S.I. and otherwise in force in relation to those activities in accordance with art. 3 of the commencing S.I. by S.I. 1994/1096, arts. 2(2)(3), 3 (as amended by S.I. 1994/2487, art. 2 and S.I. 1994/3234, art. 2)