Environment Agency: Low Plains Poultry Farm Permit Surrender Issued for EPR/BP3130UG/S005

• The Environment Agency has issued a permit surrender for Low Plains Poultry Farm in Penrith, Cumbria.
• The surrender pertains to permit reference EPR/BP3130UG/S005, held by Mr M Jones and Mr C Jones.
• This regulatory action was conducted under the framework of the Industrial Emissions Directive, as amended by Directive (EU) 2024/1785.
• Publicly available documents include a 104 KB decision document and a 144 KB surrender issue letter, each two pages long.
• The case provides a specific example of an environmental permit closure, relevant for legal and compliance professionals.

Understanding such published decisions is crucial for advising clients on their environmental permit obligations, particularly when planning site closures, transfers, or conducting due diligence for acquisitions involving similar poultry farm operations in the UK.

The Environment Agency has officially processed and issued a permit surrender concerning the Low Plains Poultry Farm, located in Penrith, Cumbria, specifically at postcode CA11 9RQ. This regulatory action pertains to permit reference EPR/BP3130UG/S005, which was held by Mr M Jones and Mr C Jones. The surrender signifies the formal closure of environmental obligations under this specific permit for the poultry farming operation.

This decision falls under the purview of the Industrial Emissions Directive (IED), which, as amended by Directive (EU) 2024/1785, remains a key piece of legislation governing industrial activities with significant environmental impact across the United Kingdom. The issuance of such a surrender by the Environment Agency marks the conclusion of the regulatory lifecycle for the permit, following a process that typically involves demonstrating that the site no longer poses an environmental risk or that all necessary remediation has been completed.

The Industrial Emissions Directive (IED) establishes a comprehensive framework for controlling and reducing industrial emissions into the air, water, and land. Facilities operating under the IED, such as large-scale poultry farms, are subject to stringent permitting requirements, including conditions for operation, monitoring, and ultimately, closure. The Environment Agency, as the principal environmental regulator in England, is responsible for implementing and enforcing these directives, including the formal process of permit surrender.

In line with its commitment to public transparency, the Environment Agency routinely publishes details of permits it issues and surrenders under the Industrial Emissions Directive. This practice ensures that stakeholders, including legal professionals, environmental consultants, and the public, have access to official records of regulatory decisions. The Low Plains Poultry Farm permit surrender is one such published decision, providing a tangible example of the agency's regulatory oversight in action.

The formal surrender of permit EPR/BP3130UG/S005 for Low Plains Poultry Farm is documented through two primary official records made publicly available by the Environment Agency. These documents provide the specific details and rationale behind the regulatory decision concerning Mr M Jones and Mr C Jones.

The first document is a comprehensive decision document, which is available as a PDF file. This file is 104 kilobytes in size and comprises two pages, outlining the Environment Agency's findings and the basis for granting the surrender. Complementing this is a separate surrender issue letter, also provided in PDF format, which is slightly larger at 144 kilobytes and spans two pages. Both documents are essential for understanding the full scope of the permit surrender, though a cautionary note indicates they may not be optimally formatted for users relying on assistive technology.

For legal practitioners and compliance officers, the public record of the Low Plains Poultry Farm permit surrender offers valuable insight into the Environment Agency's procedures for managing the cessation of permitted activities under the Industrial Emissions Directive. This specific case, involving permit EPR/BP3130UG/S005 and permit holders Mr M Jones and Mr C Jones, serves as a practical illustration of the regulatory steps involved in environmental permit closures for agricultural operations.

Understanding such published decisions is crucial for advising clients on their environmental permit obligations, particularly when planning site closures, transfers, or conducting due diligence for acquisitions involving similar poultry farm operations in the UK. The details of this surrender provide a reference point for anticipating regulatory expectations and ensuring adherence to the IED framework, thereby mitigating potential liabilities and ensuring compliant environmental management practices.

This published decision provides a specific example of an Industrial Emissions Directive permit surrender issued by the Environment Agency, which can serve as a reference for lawyers and compliance officers advising clients on environmental permit obligations, site closures, or due diligence for similar poultry farm operations in the UK.

Source: Original reporting via GOV.UK