Information on the proposed incinerator with energy from waste and combined heat and power facility at Devonport Dockyard, Plymouth, Devon - updated 8 February 2012.
The Environment Agency received an application for an environmental permit to operate an incinerator with energy from waste and combined heat and power facility from MVV Environment Devonport Ltd at Devonport Dockyard, Plymouth, Devon in June 2011. In December 2011 we completed our technical determination of the application. We announced that we are minded to issue a permit to the operator MVV Environment Devonport Ltd
In reaching our decision we have taken into account all relevant considerations and legal requirements. We are satisfied that the conditions within the permit will ensure that a high level of protection will be provided to human health and the environment should the facility become operational
We have published our draft decision document with our draft permit. These documents show what conditions we propose to include within our permit and how we made our draft decision. We publish a draft permit and draft decision document prior to reaching our final decision to allow any new information to be considered or any factual errors to be corrected.
What is the latest news?
We ran a public consultation on the draft permit and draft decision document. The consultation closed on Friday 3 February 2012.
Over the next few weeks we will examine all responses we have received and consider whether any changes need to be made to the conditions of the permit and if we are still satisfied that we can issue a permit. If we are satisfied that we are still able to issue a permit we will then grant the permit and publish an updated decision document. If any significant new concerns are raised, that had not been considered in the consultation on the application, which could affect our decision to issue the permit then we will consider whether we need to re-open the consultation.
The draft permit and decision document can be downloaded here:
Copies of the draft decision document and draft permit are also available at the public registers held at:
- Plymouth City Council, Civic Centre, Armada Way, Plymouth, Devon PL1 9ST; and
- Environment Agency, Exminster House, Miller Way, Exeter, Devon EX6 8AS (Tel: 01392 316026)
You can inspect these registers free of charge during normal office hours (9am - 5pm Monday - Friday). You may obtain a copy of documents on the register - a charge may be made to cover the costs of copying.
There are also electronic copies available in all Plymouth libraries with additional paper copies at St Budeaux, St Aubyn and Central library. Library locations and opening hours are available on the Council's website.
What happens next?
We will publish the outcome of our consultation on the draft permit and draft decision document on this website.
What’s happened already?
We ran a public consultation on the application which closed on Friday 5 August 2011. As part of the public consultation we held a public surgery on Wednesday 20 July 2011 at Tamar View Community Centre, St Budeaux, Plymouth. During the consultation and technical determination period we received many responses from members of the public and other organisations . We have taken these into account during our decision making process and this is reflected in the draft decision document.
We published the draft decision and draft permit in December 2011. We ran a public consultation on the draft documents which closed on Friday 3 February. As part of the public consultation we held a public surgery on Monday 16 January 2012 at Tamar View Community Centre.
We produced the following documents to help people respond to the consultation on the draft decision and draft permit:
You can see copies of the original application on the public registers at Plymouth City Council and the Environment Agency at the addresses above.
The original application documents are also available on MVV’s website and at Plymouth City Council libraries.
What is an environmental permit?
An environmental permit enables us to set conditions on how a site operates and monitor a site’s emissions to air, water and land and to place robust restrictions on other things such as how the operator accepts and manages waste. We must be satisfied that the best available techniques are being applied and that the requirements of the Waste Incineration Directive are being met.
The Environment Agency does not decide if or where a site is built or whether planning permission should be granted. Planning permission for the proposed incinerator is being determined by Plymouth City Council.
What is the Environment Agency’s role in the planning application?
MVV submitted its planning application to the planning authority (PCC) in May 2011.
It is the responsibility of the City Council to decide through the planning application process whether the facility is required and whether the site at Devonport is appropriate.
We are a statutory consultee in the planning process. We have reviewed the application and have provided a formal response to the planning authority.
Plymouth City Council granted planning permission for the application in December 2011.
More information
Contact us
If you need any further information from us about this proposal please email our enquiry team or call Katie Snook on 01392 352392.
