January 2019 legislation updates for England & Wales.
England and Wales
The Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (SI 2019 No. 39) amend the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016 to ensure that, on the United Kingdom's exit from the European Union (“EU“), they remain fully operable. There are no substantive or policy changes, and no change in how operators are regulated.
Published: 8 January 2019
England
Article 2 of the Infrastructure Planning (Water Resources) (England) Order 2019 (SI 2019 No. 12) amends the Planning Act 2008 (c. 29) in respect of nationally significant infrastructure projects (“NSIP“) in the field of water to introduce a new category of NSIP and amend the thresholds of the existing categories of NSIP. Paragraphs (2) and (6) introduce a new category of NSIP in respect of the construction or alteration of desalination plants. A desalination plant is defined in paragraph (7) as a facility for the extraction of mineral components from saline water. Paragraph (3) amends section 27. It increases the threshold for when the construction or alteration of a dam or reservoir will be an NSIP from holding back 10 million cubic metres to holding back 30 million cubic metres.
Published: 8 January 2019
