The Waste and Contaminated Land (Northern Ireland) Order 1997

Revocation and suspension of licences

12.—(1) Where a licence is in force and it appears to the Department—

(a) that the holder of the licence has ceased to be a fit and proper person by reason of his having been convicted of a prescribed offence; or

(b) that—

(i) the continuation of the activities authorised by the licence would cause pollution of the environment or harm to human health or would be seriously detrimental to the amenities of the locality affected; and

(ii) the pollution, harm or detriment cannot be avoided by modifying the conditions of the licence;

the Department may exercise, as it thinks fit, either of the powers conferred by paragraphs (3) and (4).

(2) Where a licence is in force and it appears to the Department that the holder of the licence has ceased to be a fit and proper person by reason of the management of the activities authorised by the licence having ceased to be in the hands of a technically competent person, the Department may exercise the power conferred by paragraph (3).

(3) The Department may, under this paragraph, revoke the licence so far as it authorises the carrying on of the activities specified in the licence or such of them as the Department specifies in revoking the licence.

(4) The Department may, under this paragraph, revoke the licence entirely.

(5) A licence revoked under paragraph (3) shall cease to have effect to authorise the carrying on of the activities specified in the licence or, as the case may be, the activities specified by the Department in revoking the licence but shall not affect the requirements imposed by the licence which the Department, in revoking the licence, specify as requirements which are to continue to bind the licence holder.

(6) Where a licence is in force and it appears to the Department—

(a) that the holder of the licence has ceased to be a fit and proper person by reason of the management of the activities authorised by the licence having ceased to be in the hands of a technically competent person; or

(b) that—

(i) serious pollution of the environment or serious harm to human health has resulted from, or is about to be caused by, the activities to which the licence relates or the happening or threatened happening of an event affecting those activities; and

(ii) the continuing to carry on those activities, or any of those activities, in the circumstances will continue or, as the case may be, cause serious pollution of the environment or serious harm to human health;

the Department may suspend the licence so far as it authorises the carrying on of the activities specified in the licence or such of them as the Department specifies in suspending the licence.

(7) A licence suspended under paragraph (6) shall, while the suspension has effect, be of no effect to authorise the carrying on of the activities specified in the licence or, as the case may be, the activities specified by the Department in suspending the licence.

(8) Where a licence is suspended under paragraph (6), the Department, in suspending it or at any time while it is suspended, may require the holder of the licence to take such measures to deal with or avert the pollution or harm as the Department considers necessary.

(9) A requirement imposed under paragraph (8) may require the holder of a licence to carry out works or do other things notwithstanding that he is not entitled to carry out the works or do the thing and any person whose consent would be required shall grant, or join in granting, the holder of the licence such rights in relation to the land as will enable the holder of the licence to comply with any requirements imposed on him under that paragraph.

(10) Paragraphs (2) to (7) of Article 9 shall, with the necessary modifications, apply where the Department proposes to impose a requirement under paragraph (8) which may require the holder of a licence to carry out any such works or do any such thing as is mentioned in paragraph (9) as they apply where the Department proposes to issue a licence subject to any such condition as is mentioned in paragraph (1) of that Article, but as if—

(a) the reference in paragraph (3) of that Article to Article 6(4) were a reference to paragraph (9); and

(b) any reference in those paragraphs—

(i) to the condition, or the condition in question, were a reference to the requirement; and

(ii) to issuing a licence were a reference to serving a notice, under paragraph (14), effecting the requirement.

(11) The Department may postpone the service of any notice or the consideration of any representations required under Article 9, as applied by paragraph (10), so far as the Department considers that by reason of an emergency it is appropriate to do so.

(12) , without reasonable excuse, fails to comply with any requirement imposed under paragraph (8) otherwise than in relation to special waste shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable—

(a) on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum; and

(b) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years or to a fine or to both.

(13) A person who, without reasonable excuse, fails to comply with any requirement imposed under paragraph (8) in relation to special waste shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable—

(a) on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum or to both; and

(b) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 5 years or to a fine or to both.

(14) Any revocation or suspension of a licence or requirement imposed during the suspension of a licence under this Article shall be effected by notice served on the holder of the licence and the notice shall state the time at which the revocation or suspension or the requirement is to take effect and, in the case of suspension, the period at the end of which, or the event on the occurrence of which, the suspension is to cease.

(15) If the Department is of the opinion that proceedings for an offence under paragraph (12) or (13) would afford an ineffectual remedy against a person who has failed to comply with any requirement imposed under paragraph (8), the Department may take proceedings in the High Court for the purpose of securing compliance with the requirement.