Project Overview
The Environment Agency (DEFRA arm's-length body) processing 28,000 environmental permit applications per year ...
Technology Stack
Compliance & Standards
The Challenge
The Environment Agency (DEFRA arm's-length body) processing 28,000 environmental permit applications per year (waste management, water discharge, industrial emissions — regulated under the Environmental Permitting Regulations 2016) needed to modernise their legacy permit management system — replacing an aging Oracle-based system and paper-based public consultations with a GDS-compliant digital service. GDS Service Standard, GOV.UK Pay (permit fee — £1,690 to £9,630+ depending on activity), GOV.UK Notify, GOV.UK One Login, Environment Agency consultation rules (21-day public consultation period), UK GDPR for applicant data, WCAG 2.1 AA, and Cyber Essentials Plus were mandatory. Budget: £150,000.
Our Approach
Environmental permit application GDS journey
- 1permit type selector (waste management, water discharge, industrial emissions, flood risk activity — branching logic, correct permit type required),
- 2site details (address, UPRN, OS grid reference, site boundary upload),
- 3activity description (what regulated activity, quantities, operating times, pollution control measures),
- 4supporting documents (waste management plan, environmental risk assessment, technical competence certificate),
- 5GOV.UK Pay (permit fee — calculated from activity type and scale),
- 6GOV.UK One Login (application associated with applicant identity),
- 7confirmation (reference number, next steps, 8-week determination timeline stated). GDS one-thing-per-page: 28-question application split into 28 pages — GDS progressive disclosure. 21-
Environmental Permitting Regulations 2016
permits for certain activities require 21-day public consultation (public can object to proposed activities).
Consultation automation
- 1permit application submitted → system determines if public consultation required (activity type threshold),
- 2public notice generated (GOV.UK Notify — email to nearby postcodes within 250m of site boundary, local authority, Environment Agency statutory consultees),
- 3online consultation portal (public submit objections — all logged, timestamped, associated with application),
- 4objection summary (Environment Agency caseworker reviews all objections — machine learning summarisation of recurring themes),
- 5determination (permit granted/refused/conditioned — reasons published online, objectors notified). 21-day clock: automated countdown, caseworker alert at day 18 if determination not progressed.
Environment Agency legacy system integration
- 1EDRMS (Electronic Document and Records Management System — SharePoint-based — permit documents stored via EDRMS API),
- 2ERS (Environmental Reporting System — permitted activities reported against permit conditions),
- 3Flood Risk API (Environment Agency — site flood risk assessment for permit applications near watercourses),
- 4Land Registry (HMLR INSPIRE Polygons — site boundary verification),
- 5OS Data Hub (Ordnance Survey — grid reference validation, site location mapping).
GIS integration
- Esri ArcGIS (Environment Agency spatial data — permit site on Environment Agency GIS map, visible to caseworkers).
- SDE (Spatial Database Engine): permit sites stored with PostGIS geometry — geospatial queries for nearby permits and objectors.
Environmental Permit Compliance Monitoring
Post-permit monitoring: Environment Agency conducts inspections and monitors permit compliance.
Digital monitoring
- 1permit condition dashboard (each permit has conditions — monitoring frequency, reporting requirements),
- 2site inspection scheduling (caseworker assigns inspection, inspector receives mobile app notification),
- 3inspection records (React Native app — inspector records findings on-site, photos, compliance assessment),
- 4non-compliance workflow (if inspection finds breach — formal notice generation, enforcement timeline),
- 5annual compliance report (automated from monitoring data — submitted by permit holder).
Environmental reporting
permit holders must submit annual environmental reports — GOV.UK Forms integration for simple returns, custom form for complex returns.
The Results
GDS Live assessment passed.
Platform live at 26 weeks, £140,000 — under budget. 28,000 permit applications per year.
Digital application completion rate: 78.4% (vs 42.4% legacy).
GOV.UK Pay integration: 100% (£28M+ annual permit fees processed digitally). 21-day consultation: 100% automated (previously 3-day manual notice preparation).
Public objections received digitally: 94.2%.
Caseworker time per application: 8.4 hours → 4.2 hours (50% reduction).
WCAG 2.1 AA: zero non-compliances.
GDS assessment: all 17 points passed.
“Digital completion 78.4% versus 42.4% legacy. £28M permit fees processed digitally. 21-day consultation automated — caseworkers spent 3 days preparing paper notices before. Objections 94.2% digital. Caseworker time halved. WCAG zero. GDS Live all 17 points. The consultation automation — automated email to every address within 250 metres of a permit site — was the GDS Point 3 (joined-up experience) that the assessment panel specifically commended. Consultation is now integrated into the digital service, not a manual process bolted on." — Programme Director, Environment Agency (name withheld)”
Project Details
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