We Asked, You Said, We Did

Sellafield Limited applied to the Environment Agency to vary its radioactive substances activity permit in July 2023.

The radioactive substances activity permit controls receipt and disposal of radioactive waste and imposes conditions and limits on radioactive discharges to the environment.

We asked for your comments during a consultation on the application from 7 August to 3 September 2023.

When we consulted, we explained that we could not take account of anything outside the scope of the Environmental Permitting Regulations. For example, Government policy and Nuclear Decommissioning Authority strategies impacting on Sellafield operations.

During the consultations we shared information and explained that, once we had assessed all the information and responses received during the consultation, we would produce a decision document for the permit variation. We emphasised that we would not make any final decisions until we had considered all relevant responses to the consultation.

We received 64 responses from organisations and members of the public.

All responses to our consultation (if the respondent gave permission) are published on this page.

Information about which organisations responded and how each response has been considered is included in our final decision document.

We would like to thank everyone who responded to the consultations.

We have assessed the permit application, reviewed the evidence, and carefully considered the responses we received from consultation.

Our final decision is that we should grant the permit variation the operator has requested. We have added new plant notification levels and conditions in the permit to protect people and the environment.

The final permit and decision document are published below.

This outcome summary is available as a bilingual English/Welsh document in the 'Files' section below.

NNB Generation Company (Hinkley Point C) Limited applied to the Environment Agency to change its water discharge activity permit in December 2022.

The water discharge activity permit is a permit to discharge returned abstracted seawater from the cooling water system, fish recovery and return system, and other liquid trade effluents (including treated sewage effluent) to the Bristol Channel.

We asked for your comments during a consultation on the application from 24 January to 2 March 2023 (see Consultation), and on our proposed decision and draft permit from 25 April to 25 May 2023.

When we consulted, we explained that the consultations were not about the need for nuclear power, UK energy policy or policy relating to the siting of nuclear power stations.

During the consultations we shared information and explained our proposed decision. We emphasised that we would not make any final decisions until we had considered all relevant responses to the consultation.

We received 245 responses from organisations and members of the public

• For our consultation on the permit application, we received 50 responses
• For our consultation on the proposed decision and draft permit, we received 193 responses

All responses to our consultation (if the respondent gave permission) are published on this page.

Information about which organisations responded and how each response has been considered is included in our final decision document.

The Hinkley C project team would like to thank everyone who responded to the consultations and attended the online engagement meetings.

We have assessed the permit application, reviewed the evidence and carefully considered the responses we received from both consultations.

Our final decision is that we should grant the permit variation the operator has requested. We have added new limits and conditions in the permit to protect people and the environment.

The previous permit version (EPR/HP3228XT/V004) regulated the operational water discharge activities from Hinkley Point C – they are discharges of these non-radioactive liquid effluents:

• returned cooling water from the turbine condensers
• trade process effluents from the various plant systems (including those that maintain water purity and chemistry to keep the best operating conditions and maximise efficiency)
• treated sewage effluent (from staff welfare facilities)

The final varied permit will also now regulate the returned seawater through a fish recovery and return system.

As a result of our assessment on the impact of the fish recovery and return system discharge, we have included limits on volume, rate and the total biomass discharged from the fish recovery and return system outlet.

We have removed all conditions (or parts of conditions) relating to the acoustic fish deterrent (AFD).

We have concluded that there would be no adverse effect on the integrity of the relevant European designated sites (in relation to pollution from regulated discharges to waters) if there is no AFD in place. This includes those sites functionally linked to the Severn Estuary. The discharges will not result in the condition of relevant SSSIs deteriorating or prevent them from improving or recovering.

We have also concluded that the permit variation will not cause the current status of the water bodies to deteriorate or prevent them from achieving their objectives. 

The final varied permit includes the requirement to use an additional operating technique and an improvement condition. It also includes 2 pre-operational conditions which need Environment Agency approval before the proposed power station can be commissioned or begin to operate. These are included to make sure that NNB Generation Company (Hinkley Point C) Limited builds and operates the proposed power station according to the commitments made in its permit variation application.

The final permit, decision document and public summary are published below and on GOV.UK

Read more about our work regulating Hinkley.

NNB Generation Company (Sizewell C) Limited applied for 3 environmental permits that it would need to operate its proposed new nuclear power station at Sizewell, Suffolk.

We consulted on the applications from July to October 2020 and on our proposed decision and draft permits from July to September 2022.

When we consulted, we explained that the consultations were not about the need for nuclear power, UK energy policy or policy relating to the siting of nuclear power stations.

During the consultations we shared information with people, explained our proposed decisions and considered the feedback we received. We emphasised that we would not make any final decisions until we had considered all relevant responses to the consultation.

We received 212 responses from organisations and members of the public:

• For our 2020 consultation on the permit applications, we received 79 consultation responses
• For our 2022 consultation on the proposed decision and draft permits, we received 133 consultation responses
• Information about which organisations responded and how each response has been considered is included in our final decision documents.

All responses to our consultation (if the respondent gave permission) are published on this page.

The Sizewell C project team would like to thank everyone who responded to their consultations.

We have assessed the 3 permit applications and considered the responses we received from both consultations.

Our final decision is that we should grant the permits for the 3 operational activities. The limits and conditions attached to the permits will make sure that people and the environment are protected from the 3 operational activities under normal operation.

• Our radioactive substances activity permit includes limits on gaseous and liquid discharges of radioactive waste. There are 16 requirements to provide additional information, which will help make sure that NNB Generation Company (Sizewell C) Limited builds and operates the proposed power station according to the commitments it made in its application.
• Our combustion activity permit limits the operational hours of the generators to 500 hours a year and includes 5 pre-operational requirements and 4 improvement measures. These will help make sure that the proposed power generators are commissioned and operated according to the commitments made in the application.
• Our water discharge activity permit includes 19 pre-operational conditions which need Environment Agency approval before the proposed power station can be commissioned or begin to operate. This is to make sure that NNB Generation Company (Sizewell C) Limited builds and operates the proposed power station according to the commitments made in its permit application.

NNB Generation Company (Sizewell C) Limited applied for 3 environmental permits that it would need to operate its proposed new nuclear power station at Sizewell, Suffolk.

We consulted on the applications from July to October 2020 and on our proposed decision and draft permits from July to September 2022.

When we consulted, we explained that the consultations were not about the need for nuclear power, UK energy policy or policy relating to the siting of nuclear power stations.

During the consultations we shared information with people, explained our proposed decisions and considered the feedback we received. We emphasised that we would not make any final decisions until we had considered all relevant responses to the consultation.

We received 212 responses from organisations and members of the public:

• For our 2020 consultation on the permit applications, we received 79 consultation responses
• For our 2022 consultation on the proposed decision and draft permits, we received 133 consultation responses
• Information about which organisations responded and how each response has been considered is included in our final decision documents.

All responses to our consultation (if the respondent gave permission) are published on this page.

The Sizewell C project team would like to thank everyone who responded to their consultations.

We have assessed the 3 permit applications and considered the responses we received from both consultations.

Our final decision is that we should grant the permits for the 3 operational activities. The limits and conditions attached to the permits will make sure that people and the environment are protected from the 3 operational activities under normal operation.

• Our radioactive substances activity permit includes limits on gaseous and liquid discharges of radioactive waste. There are 16 requirements to provide additional information, which will help make sure that NNB Generation Company (Sizewell C) Limited builds and operates the proposed power station according to the commitments it made in its application.
• Our combustion activity permit limits the operational hours of the generators to 500 hours a year and includes 5 pre-operational requirements and 4 improvement measures. These will help make sure that the proposed power generators are commissioned and operated according to the commitments made in the application.
• Our water discharge activity permit includes 19 pre-operational conditions which need Environment Agency approval before the proposed power station can be commissioned or begin to operate. This is to make sure that NNB Generation Company (Sizewell C) Limited builds and operates the proposed power station according to the commitments made in its permit application.

The final decision documents, published here, explain the reasons for our decision

NNB Generation Company (Sizewell C) Limited applied for 3 environmental permits that it would need to operate its proposed new nuclear power station at Sizewell, Suffolk.

We consulted on the applications from July to October 2020 and on our proposed decision and draft permits from July to September 2022.

When we consulted, we explained that the consultations were not about the need for nuclear power, UK energy policy or policy relating to the siting of nuclear power stations.

During the consultations we shared information with people, explained our proposed decisions and considered the feedback we received. We emphasised that we would not make any final decisions until we had considered all relevant responses to the consultation.

We received 212 responses from organisations and members of the public:

• For our 2020 consultation on the permit applications, we received 79 consultation responses
• For our 2022 consultation on the proposed decision and draft permits, we received 133 consultation responses
• Information about which organisations responded and how each response has been considered is included in our final decision documents.

All responses to our consultation (if the respondent gave permission) are published on this page.

The Sizewell C project team would like to thank everyone who responded to their consultations.

We have assessed the 3 permit applications and considered the responses we received from both consultations.

Our final decision is that we should grant the permits for the 3 operational activities. The limits and conditions attached to the permits will make sure that people and the environment are protected from the 3 operational activities under normal operation.

• Our radioactive substances activity permit includes limits on gaseous and liquid discharges of radioactive waste. There are 16 requirements to provide additional information, which will help make sure that NNB Generation Company (Sizewell C) Limited builds and operates the proposed power station according to the commitments it made in its application.
• Our combustion activity permit limits the operational hours of the generators to 500 hours a year and includes 5 pre-operational requirements and 4 improvement measures. These will help make sure that the proposed power generators are commissioned and operated according to the commitments made in the application.
• Our water discharge activity permit includes 19 pre-operational conditions which need Environment Agency approval before the proposed power station can be commissioned or begin to operate. This is to make sure that NNB Generation Company (Sizewell C) Limited builds and operates the proposed power station according to the commitments made in its permit application.

The final decision documents, published here, explain the reasons for our decision

NNB Generation Company (Sizewell C) Limited applied for 3 environmental permits that it would need to operate its proposed new nuclear power station at Sizewell, Suffolk.

We consulted on the applications from July to October 2020 and on our proposed decision and draft permits from July to September 2022.

When we consulted, we explained that the consultations were not about the need for nuclear power, UK energy policy or policy relating to the siting of nuclear power stations.

During the consultations we shared information with people, explained our proposed decisions and considered the feedback we received. We emphasised that we would not make any final decisions until we had considered all relevant responses to the consultation.

We received 212 responses from organisations and members of the public:

• For our 2020 consultation on the permit applications, we received 79 consultation responses
• For our 2022 consultation on the proposed decision and draft permits, we received 133 consultation responses
• Information about which organisations responded and how each response has been considered is included in our final decision documents.

All responses to our consultation (if the respondent gave permission) are published on this page.

The Sizewell C project team would like to thank everyone who responded to their consultations.

We have assessed the 3 permit applications and considered the responses we received from both consultations.

Our final decision is that we should grant the permits for the 3 operational activities. The limits and conditions attached to the permits will make sure that people and the environment are protected from the 3 operational activities under normal operation.

• Our radioactive substances activity permit includes limits on gaseous and liquid discharges of radioactive waste. There are 16 requirements to provide additional information, which will help make sure that NNB Generation Company (Sizewell C) Limited builds and operates the proposed power station according to the commitments it made in its application.
• Our combustion activity permit limits the operational hours of the generators to 500 hours a year and includes 5 pre-operational requirements and 4 improvement measures. These will help make sure that the proposed power generators are commissioned and operated according to the commitments made in the application.
• Our water discharge activity permit includes 19 pre-operational conditions which need Environment Agency approval before the proposed power station can be commissioned or begin to operate. This is to make sure that NNB Generation Company (Sizewell C) Limited builds and operates the proposed power station according to the commitments made in its permit application.

The final decision documents, published here, explain the reasons for our decision.

We consulted on the application to vary the radioactive substances environmental permit for Hinkley Point C Power Station from 18 July 2022 to 14 August 2022. It provided the opportunity for the public, professional bodies, businesses and other stakeholders to provide comments on the application.

We received 41 responses to the consultation from various stakeholders. The responses included various comments and questions which have been summarised in the decision document (found below under ‘Files’).

We assessed the application and the consultation responses were considered as part of determining the application. We issued the permit variation on 6 October 2022. The key changes to the permit are:

•  removal of pre-operational measure (POM) 1 from Schedule 3, Table S1.3A
• amendment of Information Condition (IC) 14
• removal of Disposal Outlet A3 – Interim Spent Fuel Store (ISFS) Stack
• amendment of Table S3.2 and Table S3.4

The Environment Agency, in partnership with Isle of Wight Council, is developing a coastal defence scheme at Shanklin Esplanade on the Isle of Wight. We sought views on how the coastal frontage along Shanklin Esplanade is used, what is most valued about it, and the perceptions amongst stakeholders of flood and coastal erosion risks both now and in the future. This will help to inform how we engage with stakeholders going forward, and capture any concerns, ideas and opportunities in the shortlist of options that we present to the public in Summer 2023.

We received 44 responses in total. 31 responses were made via the Shanklin Coastal Defence Scheme Citizen Space webpage; the remaining 13 were made via hard copy versions held at Shanklin Library. 

The information obtained from the Shanklin Coastal Defence Scheme public realm questionnaire will be used to support the confirmation of a short list of options that could be used to reduce the risk of coastal erosion to the sea wall in Shanklin. These will be presented to the public in June/July 2023, when individuals, businesses, community groups and organisations will be invited to offer their views on the options. We will also be using the responses to plan the format, content and timing of our future engagement and communication activities.

Individuals who wish to follow up their responses, or points made within this document, in more detail are welcome to contact us at IOWFD_schemes@environment-agency.gov.uk.

We asked your views on an application to vary the radioactive substances permit for BAE Systems Marine Ltd, Barrow Shipyards.

We received 2 responses in total to our public consultation. Of these responses, 1 was from an individual and 1 was from an organisation. The responses we received have been summarised in the consultation response document.

We assessed the application and the consultation responses were considered as part of this assessment. We issued the permit variation on 23 August 2022. The key changes to the permit are:

• extension of the permit boundary to include Devonshire Dock Quay
• addition of conditions and limits for keeping and use of radioactive material and accumulation of solid and liquid radioactive waste at Devonshire Dock Quay

As part of the ongoing work to improve Park Wood, the Environment Agency will be installing new way markers on the footpaths within the wood.

We asked your views on whether the proposed path routes were suitable for regular users of the woodland.

We received 76 responses in total. Of these responses, 72 were from individuals, 3 were from an organisation or group and 1 was from other. The responses we received have been summarised in the consultation response document.

We have reviewed all the responses we received from the consultation. We will:

• amend the route map to include suggested changes received during the consultation.
• put way markers up on the footpaths in the wood to ensure routes are clearly signposted, by July 2022. Only way-marked paths will be given a Public Safety Risk Assessment and appropriate actions taken when needed.  For example, removing dangerous branches/brush.
• investigate whether additional bridges would result in additional liability and, if so, whether this is something we would wish to take on. Subject to the outcome of our investigations, if the local community would be interested in raising funds for a bridge, we would be open to exploring this option.
• continue to explore further options for horse access within the wood.
• continue to explore a solution to the flooding problems in the wood together with our partners. And will carry out remedial work in April 2022 to try and address this issue.
• assess whether further improvements to the all-access track are needed.

Individuals who wish to follow up their responses, or points made within this document in more detail, are welcome to contact us at park.wood@environment-agency.gov.uk

On 12 December 2022 the Environment Agency published updated  flood risk management plans (FRMPs)  for England to cover the period from 2021 - 2027.  

FRMPs set out how organisations, stakeholders and communities will work together to manage flood risk in England. 

They are strategic plans that set out how to manage flood risk in nationally identified flood risk areas (FRAs) for the period 2021-2027, and are statutory plans required by the Flood Risk Regulations 2009. 

We have worked together with Lead Local Flood Authorities (LLFAs) and risk management authorities (RMAs) to produce the latest plans and a public consultation of the draft plans was held between October 2021 and January 2022. 

We received 255 responses in total to the consultation. The main themes you raised were: 

• Partnerships – the value of working in partnership to plan and deliver flood risk management solutions. 

• Engagement – the value of engagement and working in partnership with all organisations and government departments. 

• Nature-based solutions – support for the implementation of nature-based solutions, including natural flood management techniques, so more biodiversity and environmental benefits can be delivered across the flood and water environment. 

• Catchment-based approach – support for and a greater emphasis on this for flood risk management. 

• Alignment - the need to align with other plans and strategies so delivery is effective, for example, local nature recovery strategies, and shoreline management plans. 

• Land management – the need to consider all land uses, when assessing and managing flood risk, including the benefits of agricultural land. 

• Climate change and adaptation – the importance of working together across all organisations to adapt and having better information on factors such as the carbon footprint of the measures. 

• Funding – the need to identify funding and resources for the timely delivery of measures. 

• Readability – the ability to find information in the plans and within flood plan explorer. 

On 18 May 2022 we published a summary of responses. 

Responses received were analysed to identify actions to take as result of the consultation, and implement any changes needed in the FRMPs and to the associated Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA). We have also published the Habitats Regulations Assessment and the SEA Statement of Environmental Particulars.

The consultation feedback was compiled in two documents:

• a summary of responses, published on 18 May 2022
• a ‘You said we did’ document, published on 12 December 2022.

The ‘You said, we did’ document explains how the feedback received from the consultation on the draft FRMPs was integrated into the final FRMPs. It builds on the summary of responses document published in May 2022 and describes the work that the Environment Agency and other risk management authorities are committing to undertake until 2027.

We asked you to give your views on:

• proposals for a revised boat registration charging framework
• a 3 year charging plan for 2022 to 2024
• proposals for new registration requirements for business boats
• potential future changes that may affect these customers

Your responses showed us:

• good support for the majority of our framework proposals
• strong opposition to the introduction of an area-based charge
• the current service is poor and does not meet your expectations
• opposition to our proposed charge increases over the 3 years of the scheme
• very good support for our proposals for new registration requirements for business boats
• valuable feedback and support for the topics raised in the forward look section

We have reflected on your feedback and amended our proposals to create the following actions:

• we will implement many elements of the charge framework as proposed and consulted including:
  • charging for unpowered open boats
  • concessionary charges for not-for-profit organisations and charities
  • simplified charges for tenders and introducing charges on the Medway Navigation
  • common charging for event registrations
  • charges for workboats and tugs
  • the approach for short period registrations, refunds and part year registrations
  • exemptions from charging for certain classification of boats
  • arrangements for boating trade
  • other charges
  • charges for business boats
• we will not implement the area-based charge on any of the waterways, we will keep the current charge mechanisms for powered and unpowered enclosed boats
• we will increase charges by 4% in 2022, 4% in 2023 and 2% in 2024

Our revised approach provides a much improved and consistent charging framework and will help to secure the necessary funds to cover the increasing cost of operating our waterways over the next 3 years. 

You can find our full summary of your responses in our consultation response document at consultation response documents.
We have also prepared the 2022 boat charging scheme for all waterways which you can find at national navigation (boat registration) charging schemes.

If you have any questions regarding our summary, please email enquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk or call us on 03708 506 506 (Mon to Fri 8 to 6).

Thank you for taking part in our consultation.

We asked for your opinions and comments on our proposed classification of water stressed areas in England for the purpose of compulsory metering.

We received 54 responses in total. Of these responses, 28 were from individuals, 9 were from water companies, 8 were from environmental groups and charities, 7 were from public or nationally representative bodies and 2 were from businesses. The responses included a range of comments and views which have been summarised in the consultation response document.

Having reviewed the evidence and all consultation responses we carried out some more tests to check the results. We wrote to the Secretary of State with our advice on water stress and he determined the following areas will be classified as areas of serious water stress: 

• Cambridge Water
• Portsmouth Water
• South Staffordshire Water
• Severn Trent Water – excluding Chester zone
• Veolia Water
• Wessex Water
• South West Water – Bournemouth
• South West Water – Isles of Scilly

This consultation was for the Transboundary Impact Assessment (TIA) submitted by FCC Recycling (UK) Ltd as part of their application to vary their radioactive substances activity permit for the Lillyhall Landfill site in West Cumbria. The consultation took place from 4 February 2021 to 5 March 2021. It provided the opportunity for the public, professional bodies and stakeholders to provide comments on the TIA.

This was in addition to the consultation on the full application to vary the Lillyhall landfill site permit, which took place from 4 March 2019 to 6 May 2019.

We received zero responses to the TIA consultation. Therefore we have not produced a summary of consultation responses document, as we have done for the consultation on the full application to vary the Lillyhall landfill site permit.

We have now reached our final decision on this application and issued the permit variation on 15 July 2021.

A copy of all the documents relevant to this permit variation, including the permit, variation and decision document, can be found by visiting the original consultation ‘Lillyhall Landfill Site RSA Permit Variation’ - Please see link below.

We asked for your opinions and comments on the potential options to extend the beach netting fishing for sea trout in Yorkshire and the North East.

We received 562 online responses to the consultation. 93% opposed an extension of the current netting season and 7% were in favour.

Having reviewed the evidence and all consultation responses we find it is not appropriate to recommend an extension to the sea trout netting season at this time. 

The consultation on the application to accept low level radioactive wastes at the Port Clarence landfill site took place from 20 September 2019 to 31 January 2020. It provided the opportunity for the public, professional bodies and stakeholders, to provide comments on the application.

We have received 2329 responses to the consultation from various stakeholders. There were only 13 responses in support of the application. The responses included various comments and questions which have been summarised in the Summary of consultation responses document which can be found below.

We are currently assessing the application and the consultation responses will be considered as part of this assessment. We expect a decision on the application to be made in 2021 and will run a new consultation at that stage.

We are planning to have stopped all our flood risk management (FRM) activities between Pallingham Weir and Pulborough in the Arun Valley, West Sussex by the end of 2021

We asked for your views on:

• what impact our stopping our FRM activities has on you
• what you regard as a reasonable notice period in order to make alternative FRM arrangements
• options for FRM activities when we stop our flood risk management activities in this area
• any other issues or concerns you have in relation to this plan.

You said it would be difficult to bring so many different landowners together and provide the ongoing required maintenance that we currently provide.

You challenged the cost benefit of stopping inspection and maintenance.  You suggested we should ‘do minimum’ rather than ‘do nothing’.

You were concerned that stopping maintenance will have an adverse effect downstream and will increase the risk of flooding.

You said it was essential that a statutory management system for the whole of the tidal river from Pulborough to Littlehampton be put in place, and not just sections of the river.

You recommended that implementing ‘do nothing’ be put on hold whilst we reappraise the flood risks associated with SU1.

You said that 12 to 24 months was a reasonable notice period to allow for alternative arrangements to be put in place.

As a result of the feedback from the online consultation:

Whilst stopping our FRM activities in SU1 remains our objective, we are no longer aiming to stop them by the end of 2021.

We will now:

• carry out an assessment of any possible impacts stopping our FRM activities could have on the designated sites and features in the Arun Valley sites and implement appropriate mitigation measures agreed with Natural England. In doing so we will consult with Natural England and all affected and interested parties.
• undertake more detailed investigations of specific FRM activities and will continue the activity at particular locations if it is confirmed as economic at those locations.
• continue to work with those affected to ensure plans are in place to resolve outstanding issues before or during the notice period.
• continue to engage with the community through the Arun Valley Vision Group.
• issue all riparian landowners/tenants with a formal letter giving at least 12 months’ notice of the date after which our FRM activities will stop and inform other interested parties.

Our current FRM activities are:

• removing fallen trees and blockages in the channel that could increase flood risk. We also clear any vegetation that builds up at Stopham Bridge which may restrict river flow.
• inspecting all riverbanks and FRM structures in accordance with Environment  Agency asset inspection guidelines (for example low risk sites every 5 years).
• maintaining Stopham Sluice, an outfall on the River Arun 195m south of the Pulborough Garden Centre and A283 Stopham Road.
• carrying out public safety and health and safety inspections of Stopham sluice and a further privately maintained outfall on a public footpath just downstream of the Stopham Sluice.
• referring any FRM concerns with regard to all other riverbanks and FRM structures which fail the asset inspection to riparian landowners/tenants for their action
• referring any concerns with regard to flood risk caused by 6 bridges and 1 aqueduct built on the riverbanks to West Sussex County Council or Southern Water Services Limited respectively for their action.

In October 2018, Sellafield Ltd applied for a number of changes to its Radioactive Substances Activities environmental permit, mainly to reflect the operator's forecast reductions in radioactive discharges and changing focus from reprocessing to decommissioning. We consulted on Sellafield Ltd’s application from 26 October to 21 December 2018. We took those responses into account in our determination of the application. We then consulted on a draft decision and draft permit from 7 October to 1 December 2019.

The consultation responses from professional partners were positive regarding changes to Sellafield Ltd’s radioactive substances permit. Some stakeholders raised issues of concern; these are fully addressed in our final decision document, which can be found under "Files" below.

We have varied Sellafield Ltd’s radioactive substances permit, to implement all of the changes as detailed in our final decision document. The key changes to the permit are:

• Significantly reducing site discharge limits and introducing a 2-tier (upper and lower) site discharge limit structure
• Removing some site discharge limits where discharges have fallen below significant levels and they do not meet our criteria for setting limits
• Replacing plant discharge limits with plant notification levels so that Sellafield Ltd can make most effective use of the available discharge routes and treatment plants
• Removing discharge limits related to the rate of fuel reprocessing (throughput) to reflect the end of reprocessing operations.

UPDATE: This permit variation (V009) was due to come into effect on 1 April 2020. As a result of the coronavirus pandemic, Sellafield Ltd was not able to make the changes required to implement the variation (V009) on that date.

As a result, Sellafield Ltd applied for and was issued with another variation (V010) on 27 March 2020 to change the date on which the permit comes into effect to 1 October 2020. The only change was a delay in the effective date.

We withdrew the previous variation (V009) and Sellafield Ltd continued to operate under its existing permit variation (V008) during the interim period.

On 24 September 2020 we issued a further variation (V011) to introduce a limit on the concentration of tritium activity for waste disposals to the Calder Landfill Extension Segregated Area (CLESA) landfill on the Sellafield site. All consignments of waste to CLESA are already subject to a permit limit for activity concentration. This variation allows an activity concentration specifically for tritium that is higher than for other radionuclides. We are satisfied that the contribution of tritium to the total dose is within acceptable levels.

We are permitting this to allow greater flexibility in disposing of waste containing tritium to CLESA which means decommissioning can progress more quickly. High tritium activity items will also be subject to Best Available Technique (BAT) assessments.

This change formed part of the original application in October 2018 and we consulted on it, and determined it, as part of our decision on permit variation V009. The reason we did not implement this change in V009 was that it required further consideration by the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) in relation to Article 37 of the Euratom treaty. Article 37 requires the UK to provide information on plans for disposal of radioactive waste to the European Commission (EC).

We confirmed with BEIS that Article 37 requires the UK to notify the EC of this change in permitted disposal of radioactive waste, but does not require an opinion from the EC prior to permitting the disposal. We have received confirmation from BEIS that the EC has been formally notified. This means that we are now able to implement this permit variation.

This variation (V011) immediately supersedes V010 as it has the same implementation date of 1 October 2020. There are no other changes between V010 and V011.

For further information on how we regulate the Sellafield site please see: www.gov.uk

The proposed local government reorganisations in Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire, planned from April 2020, will create new unitary authorities. As a result, the existing Composition of the Thames Regional Flood and Coastal Committee will need to be varied to accommodate these changes, as the existing Lead Local Flood Authorities (LLFAs) for these areas will no longer exist. 

Do you agree with the proposed changes to the Thames Regional Flood and Coastal Committee composition?

Stakeholders agreed with the proposed changes to the Thames Regional Flood and Coastal Committee composition.

The responses to the Consultation were carefully considered and reviewed by the Thames Regional Flood and Coastal Committee at their Meeting on the 10th July 2019. Details of the Meeting are located here.
The Committee agreed to the Proposals to the Variation to the Composition of the Thames Regional Flood and Coastal Committee that was to be submitted in two parts (Phase 1 and Phase 2) for Ministerial approval. 

Proposals
• No changes to the number of EA or LLFA Members or to the LLFAs sharing seats.
• Given the near 50:50 split of tax base across the two new unitary authorities in Northamptonshire within the Anglian (Northern) RFCC area, the existing three seats for Northamptonshire are proposed to be split. Each new authority will have their own seat and they will also share a third seat between themselves.

All stakeholders who responded agreed that the Anglian (Northern) Regional Flood and Coastal Committee should divide the allocation of the three voting seats in Northamptonshire as follows: Each new unitary authority to have their own voting seat and the third will be shared between the unitary authorities.

Options for sharing the third seat:

Option 1 - Third seat rotates on an annual basis between the two unitary authorities: 2 out of the 4 responses.
Option 2 - Third voting seat is appointed by, or on behalf of, the two unitary authorities: 1 out of the 4 responses.
Option 3 - Other: 1 out of the 4 responses.
Summary of relevant key points raised:
• This is consistent with the system used to rotate the voting seat shared between Lincolnshire and North Lincolnshire.
• It should be up to all councils who have shared seats to make this decision.

The local government reorganisation in Northamptonshire was postponed from April 2020 to April 2021.
The responses to the Consultation will be carefully considered and reviewed by the Anglian (Northern) Regional Flood and Coastal Committee in 2020. The Committees decision on the Variation to the Composition of the Anglian (Northern) Regional Flood and Coastal Committee will then be submitted for approval by the Environment Agency FCRM Committee and subsequently submitted to the Minister of State for consideration and approval before 1st December 2020. Enactment of the approved Variation to the Composition will be from 1st April 2021.