Introducing pollution prevention and control
- Introducing Pollution Prevention and Control
- Introducing Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control
- Role of the Council
- Public Registers of Environmental Information
- Advice to operators
- Links - industrial pollution control
- Permit consultations
Pollution Prevention and Control
This is an environmental licensing system for regulating pollution control in certain industrial and commercial processes. These processes have the potential to cause air pollution and are specified by law. They may not be legally operated until they are granted permits.
The Environmental Permitting (England & Wales) Regulations 2010 specify which industrial processes are required to hold permits. Some permits are issued by the council whilst others are issued by the Environment Agency.
The council is responsible for regulating around 50 processes across the district ranging from petrol stations to manufacturing plants. Officers in the council's Environmental Protection Team are working with industry to help improve environmental performance and to ensure they comply with legal requirements. The Environment Agency similarly regulates waste processing and disposal, also water discharges.
Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control
Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC) takes these legal requirements further for a smaller number of specified processes. It requires that all environmental emissions and impacts are considered together, extending to:
- Noise and vibration
- Energy consumption
- Land Contamination
- Sustainable practices
- Environmental accident prevention
Control over IPPC processes is shared between the Environmental Agency, dealing with particularly complex or nationally sensitive industries called A1 processes and the Council dealing with the remainder called A2 processes. Details of these processes can be found on the Public Register.
- Enquiries about A1 processes should be directed to the Environment Agency, telephone number 08708 506 506.
Role of the council
The council administers the permitting system in all cases where it is the lead regulator. Its role is to prepare and issue permits, to ensure that processes all hold permits, and to monitor compliance with them.
Each permit contains a range of conditions regulating the way a process operates, the permissible environmental emissions and the improvements that must be made to achieve national standards.
Routine inspections are carried out and complaints are investigated to check on compliance. Enforcement action may be taken for failure to hold a permit or breaching the conditions we set. This can lead to prosecution.
Public registers
A public register of processes issued with pollution control environmental permits is maintained by the council at Morecambe Town Hall. The register contains records as specified in the Environmental Permitting (England & Wales) Regulations 2010.
The public register is held on paper and open for inspection by members of the public. Copies of register entries may be obtained on payment of a fee.
Advice to process operators
Permitted installations are subject to permit conditions and the council carries out inspections to confirm compliance. Operators are legally obliged to pay 'subsistence fees' that (under a scheme decided nationally and revised annually by Defra) to maintain their environmental permits. The council is always pleased to offer compliance advice to process operators.
If you are concerned that a process might be operating in the Lancaster district without an environmental permit or failing to comply with the conditions attached to one, please contact us.
Links to further information
DEFRA - the Department of Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
Further details of how these new controls work and the processes that are covered can be found by visiting the website of the Department of Environment, Food & Rural Affairs.
Environment Agency - information on Integrated Pollution Prevention & Control
More detailed information on the regulatory process.
Permit consultations
Detailed below are the details of an application received by Lancaster City Council under the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016.
|
Applicant |
Industrial Process to be Undertaken |
Application Date and Status |
Reference Number |
Consultation Closing Date |
|
SWS UK, Hornby Road, Claughton, Lancaster LA2 9LA |
Powder Coating |
15th October 2026 |
B74 |
15th February 2027 |
Viewing the Application
This application is held at the council's offices, open during all normal working hours at:
Morecambe Town Hall, Marine Road East, Morecambe LA4 5AF.
By contacting us in advance of visiting you can help us to help you access the information with minimum delay.
Obtaining copies of the application
Copies of the application are normally available whilst you wait for small number of copies, or by post for larger numbers.
Contacts
Email: environmentalhealth@lancaster.gov.uk
Telephone: (01524) 582728
Comments
The council will consider all comments submitted on the application received before the consultation closing dates. All comments can he sent to: Permitting Officer, Environmental Health, Morecambe Town Hall, Marine Road East, Morecambe LA4 5AF.
Last updated: 22 October 2026