Water Resources Act 1991

Section 88.

SCHEDULE 10 Discharge Consents

Applications for consents

1 (1) An application for a consent, for the purposes of section 88(1)(a) of this Act, for any discharges shall be made to the Authority.

(2) An application under this paragraph shall be accompanied or supplemented by all such information as the Authority may reasonably require; but, subject to paragraph 2(4) below and without prejudice to the effect (if any) of any other contravention of the requirements of this Schedule in relation to such an application, a failure to provide information in pursuance of this sub-paragraph, shall not invalidate an application.

(3) An application made in accordance with this paragraph which relates to proposed discharges at two or more places may be treated by the Authority as separate applications for consents for discharges at each of those places.

(4) Where an application is made in accordance with this paragraph the Authority shall—

(a) publish notice of the application, at least once in each of two successive weeks, in a newspaper or newspapers circulating in—

(i) the locality or localities in which the places are situated at which it is proposed in the application that the discharges should be made; and

(ii) the locality or localities appearing to the Authority to be in the vicinity of any controlled waters which the Authority considers likely to be affected by the proposed discharges;

(b) publish a copy of that notice in an edition of the London Gazette published no earlier than the day after the publication of the last of the notices to be published by virtue of paragraph (a) above;

(c) send a copy of the application to every local authority or water undertaker within whose area any of the proposed discharges is to occur;

(d) in the case of an application which relates to proposed discharges into coastal waters, relevant territorial waters or waters outside the seaward limits of relevant territorial waters, serve a copy of the application on each of the Ministers.

(5) The Authority shall be entitled, on an application made in accordance with this paragraph, to disregard the provisions of paragraphs (a) to (c) of sub-paragraph (4) above if it proposes to give the consent applied for and considers that the discharges in question will have no appreciable effect on the waters into which it is proposed that they should be made.

(6) Where notice of an application under this paragraph is published by the Authority under sub-paragraph (4) above, the Authority shall be entitled to recover the expenses of publication from the applicant.

(7) If a person who proposes to make or has made an application under this paragraph (“the relevant application”)—

(a) applies to the Secretary of State within the prescribed period for a certificate providing that the provisions of sub-paragraph (4) above and subsection (1) of section 190 of this Act shall not apply to—

(i) the relevant application;

(ii) any consent given or conditions imposed on the relevant application;

(iii) any sample of effluent taken from a discharge for which consent is given on the relevant application; or

(iv) information produced by analysis of such a sample;

and

(b) satisfies the Secretary of State that it would be contrary to the public interest or would prejudice, to an unreasonable degree, some private interest, by disclosing information about a trade secret, if a certificate were not issued under this sub-paragraph,

the Secretary of State may issue a certificate to that person providing that those provisions shall not apply to such of the things mentioned in paragraph (a) above as are specified in the certificate.

Consideration and determination of applications

2 (1) It shall be the duty of the Authority to consider any written representations or objections with respect to an application under paragraph 1 above which are made to it in the period of six weeks beginning with the day of the publication of notice of the application in the London Gazette and are not withdrawn.

(2) On an application under paragraph 1 above the Authority shall be under a duty, if the requirements of that paragraph are complied with, to consider whether to give the consent applied for, either unconditionally or subject to conditions, or to refuse it.

(3) Subject to sub-paragraph (4) and paragraph 3(5) below, on an application made in accordance with paragraph 1 above, the consent applied for shall be deemed to have been refused if it is not given within the period of four months beginning with the day on which the application is received or within such longer period as may be agreed in writing between the Authority and the applicant.

(4) Where—

(a) any person, having made an application to the Authority for a consent, has failed to comply with his obligation under paragraph 1(2) above to supplement that application with information required by the Authority; and

(b) that requirement was made by the Authority at such a time before the end of the period within which the Authority is required to determine the application as gave that person a reasonable opportunity to provide the required information within that period,

the Authority may delay its determination of the application until a reasonable time after the required information is provided.

(5) The conditions subject to which a consent may be given under this paragraph shall be such conditions as the Authority may think fit and, in particular, may include conditions—

(a) as to the places at which the discharges to which the consent relates may be made and as to the design and construction of any outlets for the discharges;

(b) as to the nature, origin, composition, temperature, volume and rate of the discharges and as to the periods during which the discharges may be made;

(c) as to the steps to be taken, in relation to the discharges or by way of subjecting any substance likely to affect the description of matter discharged to treatment or any other process, for minimising the polluting effects of the discharges on any controlled waters;

(d) as to the provision of facilities for taking samples of the matter discharged and, in particular, as to the provision, maintenance and use of manholes, inspection chambers, observation wells and boreholes in connection with the discharges;

(e) as to the provision, maintenance and testing of meters for measuring or recording the volume and rate of the discharges and apparatus for determining the nature, composition and temperature of the discharges;

(f) as to the keeping of records of the nature, origin, composition, temperature, volume and rate of the discharges and, in particular, of records of readings of meters and other recording apparatus provided in accordance with any other condition attached to the consent; and

(g) as to the making of returns and the giving of other information to the Authority about the nature, origin, composition, temperature, volume and rate of the discharges;

and it is hereby declared that a consent may be given under this paragraph subject to different conditions in respect of different periods.

(6) A consent for any discharges which is given under this paragraph is not limited to discharges by a particular person and, accordingly, extends to discharges which are made by any person.

Notification of proposal to give consent

3 (1) This paragraph applies where the Authority proposes to give its consent under paragraph 2 above on an application in respect of which such representations or objections as the Authority is required to consider under sub-paragraph (1) of that paragraph have been made.

(2) It shall be the duty of the Authority to serve notice of the proposal on every person who made any such representations or objection; and any such notice shall include a statement of the effect of sub-paragraph (3) below.

(3) Any person who made any such representations or objection may, within the period of twenty-one days beginning with the day on which the notice of the proposal is served on him, in the prescribed manner request the Secretary of State to give a direction under paragraph 4(1) below in respect of the application.

(4) It shall be the duty of the Authority not to give its consent on the application before the end of the period of twenty-one days mentioned in sub-paragraph (3) above and, if within that period—

(a) a request is made under sub-paragraph (3) above in respect of the application; and

(b) the person who makes that request serves notice of it on the Authority,

the Authority shall not give its consent on the application unless the Secretary of State has served notice on the Authority stating that he declines to comply with the request.

(5) Any period during which the Authority is prohibited by virtue of sub-paragraph (4) above from giving its consent on the application shall be disregarded in determining whether the application is deemed to have been refused under paragraph 2(3) above.

Reference to Secretary of State of certain applications forconsent

4 (1) The Secretary of State may, either in consequence of representations or objections made to him or otherwise, direct the Authority to transmit to him for determination such applications for consent under paragraph 1 above as are specified in the direction or are of a description so specified.

(2) Where a direction is given to the Authority under this paragraph, the Authority shall comply with the direction and inform every applicant to whose application the direction relates of the transmission of his application to the Secretary of State.

(3) Paragraphs 1(4) to (6) and 2(1) above shall have effect in relation to an application transmitted to the Secretary of State under this paragraph with such modifications as may be prescribed.

(4) Where an application is transmitted to the Secretary of State under this paragraph, the Secretary of State may at any time after the application is transmitted and before it is granted or refused—

(a) cause a local inquiry to be held with respect to the application; or

(b) afford the applicant and the Authority an opportunity of appearing before, and being heard by, a person appointed by the Secretary of State for the purpose.

(5) The Secretary of State shall exercise his power under sub-paragraph (4) above in any case where a request to be heard with respect to the application is made to him in the prescribed manner by the applicant or by the Authority.

(6) Where under this paragraph the Secretary of State affords to an applicant and the Authority an opportunity of appearing before, and being heard by, a person appointed for the purpose, it shall be the duty of the Secretary of State to afford an opportunity of appearing before, and being heard by, that person to every person who has made any representations or objection to the Secretary of State with respect to the application in question.

(7) It shall be the duty of the Secretary of State, if the requirements of this paragraph and of any regulations made under it are complied with, to determine an application for consent transmitted to him by the Authority under this paragraph by directing the Authority to refuse its consent or to give its consent under paragraph 2 above (either unconditionally or subject to such conditions as are specified in the direction).

(8) In complying with a direction under sub-paragraph (7) above to give a consent the Authority shall not be required to comply with any requirement imposed by paragraph 3 above.

(9) Without prejudice to any of the preceding provisions of this paragraph, the Secretary of State may by regulations make provision for the purposes of, and in connection with, the consideration and disposal by him of applications transmitted to him under this paragraph.

Consents without applications

5 (1) If it appears to the Authority—

(a) that a person has caused or permitted effluent or other matter to be discharged in contravention—

(i) of the obligation imposed by virtue of section 85(3) of this Act; or

(ii) of any prohibition imposed under section 86 of this Act;

and

(b) that a similar contravention by that person is likely,

the Authority may, if it thinks fit, serve on him an instrument in writing giving its consent, subject to any conditions specified in the instrument, for discharges of a description so specified.

(2) A consent given under this paragraph shall not relate to any discharge which occurred before the instrument containing the consent was served on the recipient of the instrument.

(3) Sub-paragraphs (5) and (6) of paragraph 2 above shall have effect in relation to a consent given under this paragraph as they have effect in relation to a consent given under that paragraph.

(4) Where a consent has been given under this paragraph, the Authority shall, as soon as practicable after giving it—

(a) publish notice of the consent, at least once in each of two successive weeks, in a newspaper or newspapers circulating in—

(i) the locality or localities in which the places are situated at which discharges may be made in pursuance of the consent; and

(ii) the locality or localities appearing to the Authority to be in the vicinity of any controlled waters which it considers likely to be affected by the discharges;

(b) publish a copy of that notice in an edition of the London Gazette published no earlier than the day after the publication of the last of the notices to be published by virtue of paragraph (a) above;

(c) send a copy of the instrument containing the consent to every local authority within whose area any of the discharges authorised by the consent may occur;

(d) in the case of a consent which relates to discharges into coastal waters, relevant territorial waters or waters outside the seaward limits of relevant territorial waters, serve a copy of the instrument containing the consent on each of the Ministers.

(5) It shall be the duty of the Authority to consider any written representations or objections with respect to a consent under this paragraph which are made to it in the period of six weeks beginning with the day of the publication of notice of the consent in the London Gazette and are not withdrawn.

(6) Where notice of a consent is published by the Authority under sub-paragraph (4) above, the Authority shall be entitled to recover the expenses of publication from the person on whom the instrument containing the consent was served.

Revocation of consents and alteration and imposition of conditions

6 (1) It shall be the duty of the Authority to review from time to time the consents given under paragraphs 2 and 5 above and the conditions (if any) to which the consents are subject.

(2) Subject to such restrictions on the exercise of the power conferred by this sub-paragraph as are imposed under paragraph 7 below, where the Authority has reviewed a consent under this paragraph, it may by a notice served on the person making a discharge in pursuance of the consent—

(a) revoke the consent;

(b) make modifications of the conditions of the consent; or

(c) in the case of an unconditional consent, provide that it shall be subject to such conditions as may be specified in the notice.

(3) If on a review under sub-paragraph (1) above it appears to the Authority that no discharge has been made in pursuance of the consent to which the review relates at any time during the preceding twelve months, the Authority may revoke the consent by a notice served on the owner or occupier of the land from which discharges would be made in pursuance of the consent.

(4) If it appears to the Secretary of State appropriate to do so—

(a) for the purpose of enabling Her Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom to give effect to any Community obligation or to any international agreement to which the United Kingdom is for the time being a party;

(b) for the protection of public health or of flora and fauna dependent on an aquatic environment; or

(c) in consequence of any representations or objections made to him or otherwise,

he may, subject to such restrictions on the exercise of the power conferred by virtue of paragraph (c) above as are imposed under paragraph 7 below, at any time direct the Authority, in relation to a consent given under paragraph 2 or 5 above, to do anything mentioned in sub-paragraph (2)(a) to (c) above.

(5) The Authority shall be liable to pay compensation to any person in respect of any loss or damage sustained by that person as a result of the Authority’s compliance with a direction given in relation to any consent by virtue of sub-paragraph (4)(b) above if—

(a) in complying with that direction the Authority does anything which, apart from that direction, it would be precluded from doing by a restriction imposed under paragraph 7 below; and

(b) the direction is not shown to have been given in consequence of—

(i) a change of circumstances which could not reasonably have been foreseen at the beginning of the period to which the restriction relates; or

(ii) consideration by the Secretary of State of material information which was not reasonably available to the Authority at the beginning of that period.

(6) For the purposes of sub-paragraph (5) above information is material, in relation to a consent, if it relates to any discharge made or to be made by virtue of the consent, to the interaction of any such discharge with any other discharge or to the combined effect of the matter discharged and any other matter.

Restriction on variation and revocation of consent and previous variation

7 (1) Each instrument signifying the consent of the Authority under paragraph 2 or 5 above shall specify a period during which no notice by virtue of paragraph 6(2) or (4)(c) above shall be served in respect of the consent.

(2) Each notice served by the Authority by virtue of paragraph 6(2) or (4)(c) above (except a notice which only revokes a consent) shall specify a period during which a subsequent such notice which alters the effect of the first-mentioned notice shall not be served.

(3) The period specified under sub-paragraph (1) or (2) above in relation to any consent shall not, unless the person who proposes to make or makes discharges in pursuance of the consent otherwise agrees, be less than the period of two years beginning—

(a) in the case of a period specified under sub-paragraph (1) above, with the day on which the consent takes effect; and

(b) in the case of a period specified under sub-paragraph (2) above, with the day on which the notice specifying that period is served.

(4) A restriction imposed under sub-paragraph (1) or (2) above shall not prevent the service by the Authority of a notice by virtue of paragraph 6(2) or (4)(c) above in respect of a consent given under paragraph 5 above if—

(a) the notice is served not more than three months after the beginning of the period specified in paragraph 5(5) above for the making of representations and objections with respect to the consent; and

(b) the Authority or, as the case may be, the Secretary of State considers, in consequence of any representations or objections received by it or him within that period, that it is appropriate for the notice to be served.