Medium combustion plant: apply for an environmental permit

Medium Combustion Plant Directive (MCPD) permits are standalone permits. They only cover emissions of SO2, NOx and dust to air. There are no permit conditions for water, land, energy efficiency, odour or noise.

There are 3 types of permit for a stationary or mobile medium combustion plant (MCP):

• standard rules permit – low risk
• simple bespoke – low risk
• complex bespoke permit – high risk

Find information on what to do if your MCP is already permitted, for example, if you have:

• an IED installations environmental permit
• a local authority Part B section 1.1 or 5.1 activity permit

Before you apply

Check you have all the information you need, including the deadlines you must meet. Read the guidance on:

• when you need a permit
• how to comply with emission limit values (ELVs)

In:

• England, apply to the Environment Agency using these details and application forms
• Wales, apply to Natural Resources Wales – use their details and application forms

You need to apply in time for the regulator to determine your application – check the ‘After you apply’ section of this page for more information.

Standard rules permits

To apply for a standard rules permit you must be able to meet the rules set out in the permit. If you cannot, you must apply for a bespoke permit.

See the standard rules permits available for low risk stationary MCPs. The standard rules permits are not suitable if your existing MCP is also classed as a specified generator.

Apply for a standard rules permit

When you submit your application, you must provide the:

• operator’s name and the address of the registered office – for mobile MCP the owner is the operator
• MCP’s location, if stationary – address, postcode and the national grid reference or latitude and longitude (not required for mobile MCP)
• net rated thermal input (MWth)
• type of combustion plant – such as diesel engine, gas turbine, dual fuel engine, other engine or boiler
• type and portion of fuels used, as set out in the fuel categories in Annex 2 of the MCPD
• operation start date
• Nomenclature of Economic Activities (NACE) code for the activity
• expected annual operating hours and the approximate average load in use (see the ‘ELV exemption declaration’ section of this page)

Operator competence

In your application you must be able to demonstrate your ability as an operator. Provide information on:

• any conviction of a relevant offence by you or a relevant person
• current or past bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings against you or a relevant person

You must also confirm you have a written management system.

ELV exemption declaration

If the 500 operating hours per year exemption applies to your MCP, you must provide a signed declaration that the MCP will not operate more than the allowed hours.

Charges for standard rules permits

SR2018 No 7: new,new and existing, low risk, stationary Mediummedium Combustioncombustion Plantplant betweenand 1MWthSR2022 No 9: new and lessexisting, thanlow 20MWthrisk, stationary medium combustion plant which is a natural gas boiler

Number of MCPs	Application charge	Subsistence charge	Transfer charge	Surrender charge
1	£446	£194	£169	£125
up to 3	£520	£256	£169	£125
up to 5	£620	£342	£169	£125
up to 8	£720	£394	£169	£125
up to 10	£779	£520	£169	£125
up to 15	£813	£620	£169	£125

Find charges for the following standard rules permits in the relevant table in the environmental permits and abstraction licences: tables of charges.

• SR2009 No 4: combustion of biogas at sewage treatment works – table 2.16.16
• SR2012 No 9: combustion of biogas from anaerobic digestion facilities – table 1.16.36
• SR2012 No 10: on-farm anaerobic digestion facilities that use farm wastes only, including use of the resultant biogas – table 2.16.15
• SR2012 No 11: anaerobic digestion facility including use of the resultant biogas – table 1.16.37
• SR2012 No 12: anaerobic digestion facility including use of the resultant biogas (waste recovery operation) – table 2.16.15

Help and advice

See guidance on how to get help with your application in England.

In Wales, email mcpd.queries@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk for help.

Complete and submit the standard rules permit application form

Complete the application form. The form verifies the standard rules permit you have selected based on the information you put in.

Email it to mcpd-application@environment-agency.gov.uk.

If you cannot use the form or you have any issues with it, please contact mcpd-application@environment-agency.gov.uk.

Bespoke permits

If you cannot meet the conditions in a standard rules permit you must apply for a bespoke permit. There are 2 types:

• simple bespoke (low risk) – does not require detailed air dispersion modelling
• complex bespoke (high risk) – does require detailed air dispersion modelling

Read the following guidance to see:

• which type of bespoke permit you must apply for
• what information you must provide in addition to that required for a standard rules permit

Air emissions risk assessment

Stage 1

If youreach individual MCP is is operating outside the minimum screening distances to the habitat sites given in the table then you can apply for a lower risk simple bespoke permit. If itany isof the MCP(s) are operating inside the minimum screening distances to habitats given in the table then you should move to a stage 2 assessment.

Minimum screening distances to the habitat sites

Fuel type used	Rated thermal input (MWth) of any MCP	Minimum distance from MCP to a siteSite of specialSpecial scientificScientific interestInterest or marineMarine conservationConservation zoneZone in metres	Minimum distance from MCP to a Special Conservation Area, Special Protection Area or Ramsar wetland in metres
Natural gas, gas oil andor woody solid biomass	1 to 2	750	750
Natural gas, gas oil andor woody solid biomass	2 to 5	1,000	1,000
Natural gas, gas oil andor woody solid biomass	5 to 10	1,500	1,500
Natural gas, gas oil andor woody solid biomass	10 to 20	2,000	2,500
Natural gas, gas oil andor woody solid biomass	20 to 50	2,000	5,000
Gas other than natural gas	1 to 2	1,000	1,000
Gas other than natural gas	2 to 5	1,500	1,500
Gas other than natural gas	5 to 10	2,000	4,000
Gas other than natural gas	10 to 20	2,000	5,000
Gas other than natural gas	20 to 50	2,000	10,000
Solid and liquid heavy fuel oil	1 to 2	2,000	2,000
Solid and liquid heavy fuel oil	2 to 5	2,000	4,000
Solid and liquid heavy fuel oil	5 to 10	2,000	8,000
Solid and liquid heavy fuel oil	10 to 50	2,000	10,000

You can ask for a free habitats (nature and conservation) screening assessment to check if you meet the criteria. Use our pre-application service and select the installations form.

Stage 2

A stage 2 screening tool called the Simple Calculation of Atmospheric Impact Limits (SCAIL) for combustion is being prepared to replace the H1 risk assessment tool for new and existing MCP. It will be available for use by air emission consultants as part of a permit pre-pre-application application screening by the 31 May 2023. The output of the screening will determine if you ‘screen out’ and need to apply for a low risk simple bespoke permit or ‘screen in’ and need a high risk complex bespoke permit. When the SCAIL tool is ready for use we will publish guidance on how to use it.

Currently if you cannot screen out using the stage 1 screening distances given in the table, you will need to make an application for a high risk complex bespoke permit. You will need to send us a detailed air dispersion modelling report and information about any actions you are taking to reduce air impacts to prevent harm to a habitat. Detailed modelling requires specialist knowledge. You canshould find a consultant to do it for you.

If theyou need to apply for a permit for an existing MCP you can:

• make a complex bespoke application now
• wait until the SCAIL combustion tool is available to see if you can ‘screen out’ and apply for a simple bespoke permit

If the MCP is also a specified generator, then you should also follow the guidance relating to the air emissions risk assessment for specified generators.generators.

Energy efficiency report for MCP 20MWth or more

If the MCP’s total thermal rated input is 20MWth or more and produces waste heat at a useful temperature you must also meet Schedule 24 of the environmental permitting regulations. This implements the requirements of the Energy Efficiency Directive. You must prepare and submit a report if your plant is:

• new or substantially refurbished
• operates more than 1,500 hours per year
• is over 20MWth (total aggregated net thermal input)
• a boiler, furnace, gas turbine or compression ignition engine

See guidance on how to meet the energy efficiency standards.

Mobile MCP deploying to a local authority air quality management area (AQMA)

You must provide:

• details of the specific AQMA
• generic examples against high background concentration
• evidence of no harm to local air quality

The regulator will restrict deployment as appropriate.

Stationary MCP located in a local authority AQMA (mostly boilers)

If your MCP is not a generator, for example it’s a boiler, you must find out if your MCP is located within a local authority AQMA.

In your application you must provide:

• details of the AQMP
• actual emissions from the MCP

The regulator will consult the local authority to check if your MCP is identified in the associated air quality management plan.

If it is, your MCP emissions may be identified as adversely affecting air quality in the area. The local authority, in their plan, will identify how much stricter the ELV needs to be to make a noticeable improvement to air quality. The regulator will include the agreed stricter ELV in your permit conditions.

Setting monitoring requirements

You must provide detailed information on:

• secondary abatement – the pollutant, abatement technology and how it’s maintained and monitored to provide continuous and effective abatement
• continuous emissions monitors (CEMs) where proposed – the pollutant and the monitoring standards the CEMs meet
• the stack and flue configuration and sample points of aggregated stacks for new or existing MCP

The regulator will set the monitoring requirements based on:

• Annex 3 of the MCPD
• the information you submit with your application

Charges for bespoke permits

Find the charges for simple and complex bespoke MCP permits in table 1.10 of the environmental permits and abstraction licences: tables of charges.

If the Environment Agency needs to do extra or unusual regulatory work they will charge you a supplementary charge. For example, if they need to assess the effect of emissions to air on a protected habitats site. Their charge is in table 1.19.2 of the tables of charges.

Apply for a bespoke permit

In England, apply for a bespoke permit using the application forms part A, part F1 and part B2.5.

Find the details on how to apply in Wales.

Get help with your bespoke application

See guidance on how to get help with your application in England.

In Wales, email mcpd.queries@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk for help.

After you apply

The regulator may reject your application if, for example you have:

• not used the right forms
• forgotten to include the fee or sent the wrong fee
• not provided important information

Examples of insufficient information include:

• an air quality assessment not identifying potential pollutants
• emission parameters not being provided

The information required is explained in the application form guidance and depends on the type of application you are making.

Once the regulator has the information they need to start assessing your application, they will contact you and tell you that your application is ‘duly made’. You will be notified if your application is duly made within:

• one month in England
• 21 working days in Wales

The regulators may request more information if they need it to complete their assessment.

After you get your permit

Once the regulators have issued your permit they will add your details to the:

• Environment Agency public register in England
• Natural Resources Wales public register in Wales

See guidance on how to comply with your permit and how you will be regulated.