15.—(1) This regulation applies where an operator of a Part A installation or Part A mobile plant ceases or intends to cease operating the installation (in whole or in part) or the mobile plant.
(2) Where this regulation applies, the operator may–
(a)if that operator has ceased or intends to cease operating all of the installations and mobile plant covered by the permit, apply to SEPA to surrender the whole permit;
(b)in any other case, apply to SEPA to surrender the permit in so far as it authorises the operation of the installation or mobile plant (“the surrender unit”) which that operator has ceased or intends to cease operating (a “partial surrender”).
(3) An application under paragraph (2) shall be accompanied by the permit and any fee prescribed in respect of the application under section 41 of the Environment Act 1995, and shall contain the following information:–
(a)the operator’s telephone number, address and e-mail address (if any) and, if different, any address or e-mail address to which correspondence relating to the application should be sent;
(b)in the case of a partial surrender, a description of the surrender unit and a map or plan identifying the part of the site used for the operation of the surrender unit (the “identified part of the site”);
(c)a site report describing the condition of the site or the identified part of the site, as the case may be (“the report site”), identifying, in particular, any changes in the condition of the site as described in the site report contained in the application for the permit; and
(d)a description of any steps that have been taken to avoid any pollution risk on the report site resulting from the operation of the Part A installation or Part A mobile plant or to return it to a satisfactory state.
(4) If SEPA is satisfied, in relation to the report site, that such steps (if any) as are appropriate to avoid any pollution risk resulting from the operation of the Part A installation or Part A mobile plant and to return the site to a satisfactory state have been taken, it shall accept the surrender and give the operator notice of its determination and the permit shall cease to have effect or, in the case of partial surrender, shall cease to have effect to the extent surrendered, on the date specified in the notice of determination.
(5) If, in the case of a partial surrender, SEPA is of the opinion that it is necessary to vary the conditions included in the permit to take account of the surrender, it shall specify the necessary variations in the notice of determination given under paragraph (4) and the variations specified in the notice shall take effect on the date specified in the notice.
(6) If SEPA is not satisfied as mentioned in paragraph (4), it shall give to the operator a notice of its determination stating that the application has been refused.
(7) SEPA shall give notice of its determination of an application under this regulation within the period of 3 months beginning with the date on which it receives the application or within such longer period as it and the operator may agree in writing (or in electronic form).
(8) If SEPA fails to give notice of its determination accepting the surrender or refusing the application within the period allowed by or agreed under paragraph (7), the application shall, if the operator notifies SEPA in writing (or in electronic form acceptable to it) that the operator treats the failure as such, be deemed to have been refused at the end of that period.
(9) SEPA may, by notice to the applicant, require that applicant to furnish such further information specified in the notice, within the period so specified, as it may require for the purpose of determining an application under this regulation.
(10) Where a notice is served on an operator under paragraph (9)–
(a)for the purpose of calculating the 3 month period mentioned in paragraph (7), no account shall be taken of the period beginning with the date on which notice is served and ending on the date on which the information specified in the notice is furnished; and
(b)where the specified information is not furnished within the period specified, the application shall, if SEPA gives notice to the operator that it treats the failure as such, be deemed to have been withdrawn at the end of that period.
(11) For the purpose of deciding whether a pollution risk results from the operation of a Part A installation or Part A mobile plant for the purpose of this regulation–
(a)where the operation of the installation or plant involved the carrying out of a specified waste management activity, only risks resulting from carrying out that activity after the relevant date for that activity shall be treated as resulting from the operation of the installation or plant;
(b)where the operation of the installation or mobile plant involved the carrying out of other activities, only risks resulting from the carrying out of those other activities after the date on which the permit applying to the installation or mobile plant was granted shall be treated as resulting from the operation of the installation or mobile plant.
(12) The relevant date for a specified waste management activity for the purpose of paragraph (11)(a) is–
(a)where the activity was carried out on the site of the installation or mobile plant under a waste management licence which, by virtue of section 35(11A) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990(1), ceased to have effect in relation to the carrying out of that activity on that site on the granting of the permit applying to the installation or mobile plant, the date on which that waste management licence was granted;
(b)in any other case, the date on which the permit applying to the installation or mobile plant was granted.
(13) In paragraph (12), “waste management licence” has the same meaning as in section 35(12) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 (and includes a disposal licence which is treated as a site licence by virtue of section 77(2) of that Act).
1990 c. 43; section 35(11A) is inserted by paragraph 3(4)(b) of Schedule 10 to these Regulations.