Defra launches consultation on industrial emissions environmental permitting reforms
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has launched a consultation on reforms to modernise the environmental permitting framework for industrial emissions in England. The proposals focus on enabling innovation, introducing agile standards, ensuring proportionate regulation and coherence in the permitting framework, improving regulator effectiveness and efficiency, and establishing a transparent permitting framework. The consultation proposes reforms such as a new registration approach for low‑risk installations, flexible permits that would set overall emission caps for individual sites and streamlined approvals for time-limited technology trials. These proposals follow the Corry Review’s findings on regulatory inefficiencies. The Environment Agency aims to implement changes that could reduce permit waiting times from months to days and reduce costs for businesses. The consultation will close on 21 October 2025. Defra has stated that feedback will inform policy development, with a further consultation planned on detailed policy proposals.