Licensing & Consenting Authorities See also Main Consents Page
Food & Environment Protection Act
England and Wales
A licence is required from the Secretary of State for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (or the National Assembly for Wales) for deposits at sea:
in UK controlled waters around England and Wales as defined by reference to Section 1(7) of the Continental Shelf Act 1961
All applications in England are processed and licences issued by the Marine Consents & Environment Unit (MCEU) on behalf of the licensing authority. Although responsibility for statutory controls in respect of activities within Welsh territorial waters is devolved to the National Assembly for Wales, the administration of such applications on behalf of the Assembly is also undertaken by the MCEU.
Scotland, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man
Licences for deposits made in Scottish waters are the responsibility of the Scottish Executive (administered on behalf of the Environment and Rural Affairs Department by the Marine Laboratory, Aberdeen); those around the coast of Northern Ireland being the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Assembly (DoE Environment and Hertitage Service). Similar powers apply to waters around the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.
Other Marine Works Consents
The MCEU is also responsible for the administration of other consents in waters around England and Wales, including those under the Coast Protection Act 1949, the Telecommunications Act 1984 and for authorising works under various other local statutory provisions where the Secretary of State's aproval is required. Such consents within Welsh waters are not generally devolved to the National Assembly.
