The role of planning in preventing major-accident hazards involving hazardous substances

This consultation seeks views on our proposals to transpose the requirements of the Seveso III directive. These affect the way hazardous substances consents operate, and the way in which the planning system reduces the likelihood and impact of major accidents.

We are also seeking views on proposals to improve the regulatory framework on planning for hazardous substances.

A number of accidents across Europe involving hazardous substances, notably at Seveso in Italy, prompted EU legislation to prevent major accidents. This European legislation has been in place since 1992, and when updated in 1996 (‘Seveso II’) added expectations on land-use planning. The most recent update (‘Seveso III’) was agreed in 2012 and has to be transposed by 31 May 2015.

On 17 November this document was replaced to correct a minor discrepancy between the consultation document and the annexed draft regulations. The change has been made to Schedule 1, Part 2, Row 18 of the draft regulations to bring the detail into line with the consultation document, which, at paragraph 3.6, proposes that the current levels of control for liquefied petroleum gas, liquefied natural gas and hydrogen should remain.