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Apply for an environmental permit

You will need an environmental permit if your business performs industrial activities that could cause pollution. Use this page to apply for, vary, transfer or surrender an environmental permit.

Environmental permits set conditions such as emission limits and best practice agreements. This helps to achieve environmental targets and outcomes, such as improving air quality. 

Environmental permit types

There are three types of environmental permit: Part A1, Part A2 and Part B permits.

We are responsible for Part A2 and Part B permits, while the Environment Agency regulates the larger A1 processes.

Select a topic below to find out what is covered by each category of permit.

Part A1 permits

The Environment Agency regulates Part A1 installations. Industries such as large-scale power stations, chemical works and pharmaceutical production are included in this category.

Part A2 permits

We regulate Part A2 processes. This includes smaller-scale processes which can cause emissions to air, land and water, as well as other environmental considerations.

Examples are brick manufacturers and timber treatment processes.

Part B permits

We regulate Part B processes. This type of permit covers operations that only cause emissions to air.

Industries such as cement batching plants, coating material manufacture, petrol service stations, dry cleaners and vehicle refinishers are included in this category.

If you are unsure whether you need a permit, please email us at environmental_monitoring@bathnes.gov.uk or call 01225 396693 for advice.

Waste operations: T3 and T7 exemptions

Some waste operations are exempt from needing an environmental permit. Each exemption has specific limits and conditions you need to operate within.

You will need to register for most waste exemptions with the Environment Agency. However, if you want to apply for a T3 or T7 exemption, you must register with us. These are:

  • T3 - treatment of waste metals and metal alloys by heating for the purposes of removing grease
  • T7 - treatment of waste bricks, tiles and concrete by crushing, grinding or reducing in size

Read a full description of T3 and T7 exemptions

Fees and charges

You will need to pay a fee when you apply for a permit or apply to vary, transfer or surrender a permit. You will also need to pay an annual charge. The annual charge amount will depend on whether we classify your operation as low, medium or high risk.

We will send you an invoice when we receive your application. You can pay your invoice online.

Select a topic below to find out the fees and charges for Part A2 and Part B permits.

Part A2 fees and charges

The Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) sets the fees for environmental permits.

Application, variation, transfer and surrender fees
Fee Price
Application fee £3,363 per activity at the installation
Variation fee £1,368
Total transfer fee £235
Partial transfer fee £698
Permit surrender fee £698
Annual subsistence charges
Fee Price
Low-risk Part A2 activity £1,343
Medium-risk Part A2 activity £1,507
High-risk Part A2 activity £2,230
Additional fee where UK-PRTR reporting is required £104
Payment by instalment fee £38
Late payment fee £52
Additional fee for operating without a permit £1,188

Read DEFRA's full list of Part A2 fees

Part B fees and charges

The Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) sets the fees for environmental permits.

Reduced fee activities

There are some industrial activities which pose a lower risk to the environment and have reduced fees:

  • Part 1 reduced fee activities include: petrol filling stations, vehicle refinishers (such as body repair shops) and dry cleaners
  • Part 2 reduced fee activities include: the manufacture of heavy clay goods, roadstone coating, china clay processes, crushing and screening of brick, tiles and concrete and the manufacture of timber-based products
  • Part 3 reduced fee activities include: most bulk cement activities, coal and coke activities, some quarry processes and other mineral activities
  • Part 4 reduced fee activities include: powder coating, maggot breeding, animal feed compounding and other animal material processes, bitumen activities and polymerisation processes
Application, variation, transfer and surrender fees
Fee Price
Standard Part B application fee £1,650
Additional fee for operating without a permit £1,188
Part 1 reduced fee activities (dry cleaners and PVR I only) £155
PVR I & II (petrol vapour recovery stages 1b and II combined) £257
Vehicle refinishers and any other reduced fee activity £362
Reduced fee activities: Additional fee for operating without a permit £71
Mobile plant first and second permits (each, for mobile plant not using simplified permits) £1,650
Mobile plant third to seventh permits (each, for mobile plant not using simplified permits) £985
Mobile plant eighth and subsequent (each, for mobile plant not using simplified permits) £498
Standard process transfer £169
Standard process partial transfer £497
Reduced fee activities: transfer £0
Reduced fee activities: partial transfer £47
Temporary transfer for mobile plant £53
Permit surrender for all Part B activities £0
Annual subsistence charges
Fee Low-risk Medium-risk High-risk
Standard Part B permit £772 £1,161 £1,747
Part 1 reduced fee activities £79 £158 £237
PVR I & II (petrol vapour recovery stages 1b and II combined) £113 £226 £341
Vehicle refinishers and any other reduced fee activity £228 £365 £548
Mobile plant first and second permits (each, for mobile plant not using simplified permits) £626 £1,034 £1,551
Mobile plant third to seventh permits (each, for mobile plant not using simplified permits) £385 £617 £924
Mobile plant eighth and subsequent (each, for mobile plant not using simplified permits) £198 £314 £473

Read DEFRA's full list of Part B fees

Apply now

If you want to apply for, vary, transfer or surrender an environmental permit, you need to complete the relevant forms.

If you want to apply for a Part A1 permit, you need to apply through the Environment Agency on GOV.uk.

Select a topic below to find the relevant forms for your application. You need to send the completed form to us by emailing environmental_monitoring@bathnes.gov.uk

What happens next

If your application has all the information we need, we have up to 4 months to issue your permit, or up to 3 months for reduced fee activities. This allows us to consult with other interested parties, such as the Environment Agency and Natural England.

If your application does not have all of the information we need, we will ask you for additional information. This can delay your application.

Appeals

If we decide to refuse to issue a permit, you can appeal to the Government.

You can also appeal if you have received a permit but do not agree with any of the conditions.