Environmental permitting

Air pollution emissions from industrial processes can have an impact on local air quality. Westminster regulates small industrial processes for air pollution control under the Local Air Pollution Prevention and Control regime (LAPPC).

In Westminster, the following industrial activities require an environmental permit before operating the activity. It is illegal for a person or company to operate without a permit.

The permit specifies conditions for minimising and controlling emissions to air. The operator has a legal duty to abide by these conditions and failure to comply can lead to enforcement action.

Compliance inspections are undertaken on a risk assessed basis to ensure the operator is complying with the conditions.

A General Guidance Manual provides guidance on the policy and permitting procedures for activities subject to LAPPC under the Environmental Permitting Regulations 2007. This statutory guidance guides businesses undertaking or planning to undertake relevant activities on their legal obligations.

About the application process:

• the application must be from the operator of the regulated facility
• the fee you will pay depends on the information you supply in your application. Guidance on how to calculate the fee is given in the form and you will pay it online. The fee is the same whether you apply online or by post
• if further information is required the applicant will be notified and they must provide this information or the application will be deemed to be withdrawn
• in determining the application, we will pay regard to the protection of the environment by preventing or where that is not practicable, reducing emissions into the air, water and land
• we may also inform the public of the application and must consider any representations
• your application must be processed and granted before activity can start. If you have not heard from us within a reasonable time, please contact us
• please contact us in the first instance if you are unhappy with a decision. If an application to vary, transfer or surrender an environmental permit is refused or is you object to conditions imposed on a permit you may appeal no later than six months from the date of the decision
• you may also appeal against a regulator initiated variation, a suspension notice or an enforcement notice. This must be made no later than two months from the date of the variation or notice and in other cases no later than six months from the date of the decision

Useful links

Federation of Environmental Trade Associations (FETA)

Environmental Industries Commissions (EIC)

Environmental Services Associations (ESA)

List of permitted processes (updated February 2022):