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Exmouth - Environmental Permit Variation for Wastewater Infrastructure
What is happening?
ENVIRONMENT AGENCY
Application for a variation of an environmental permit under the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016
We’ve received applications from South West Water Limited to make changes to their environmental permits. We must decide whether to grant or refuse the variations. If we grant the variations, we must decide what conditions to include in the permits.
Permit numbers:
1. Maer Lane Wastewater Treatment Works (WwTW) (003174/FU/02)
2. Maer Lane Storm Tanks (201965)
3. Phear Park Pumping Station (200124)
4. Maer Road Pumping station (200126)
Regulated facility type: Wastewater Treatment Works and Pumping Stations
Regulated facility addresses:
1. Maer Lane Wastewater Treatment Works, Maer Lane, Exmouth, Devon, EX8 5DB
2. Maer Lane Storm Tanks, Maer Lane, Exmouth, Devon, EX8 5DB
3. Phear Park Pumping Station, Withycombe Road, Exmouth, Devon, EX8 1TQ
4. Maer Road Pumping Station SPST, Maer Road, Exmouth, Devon, EX8 2DB
Receiving environment:
Maer Lane Wastewater Treatment Works and Storm Tanks discharge to Lyme Bay via an outfall pipe terminating with four diffusers located at NGRs: SY 03944 79164, SY 03948 79155, SY 03952 79146 and SY 03956 79137
Phear Park Pumping Station discharges to the Exe Estuary at NGR SX 9996 8146
Maer Road Pumping Station discharges to Lyme Bay at NGR SY 01177 79643
Effluent type: Secondary treated sewage effluent disinfected by ultra violet irradiation from Maer Lane WwTW and Settled storm sewage from Maer Lane Storm Tanks
Storm sewage from Phear Park Pumping Station and Maer Road Pumping Station
The Environment Agency is consulting on applications from South West Water Limited to vary environmental permits associated with wastewater infrastructure in Exmouth, Devon.
The proposed changes form part of a wider programme of improvements intended to reduce storm overflow discharges and increase the capacity of the sewerage network and treatment system serving Exmouth. The applications for permit variations include changes to the operation of wastewater assets associated with the Exmouth catchment including the use of a new long sea outfall, consolidation of permits and proposals for the increase in flows from upstream pumping stations to the Maer Lane WwTW.
The four applications are being considered together as they are part of the same network where each asset directly affects the performance of the next. SWW are proposing to increase the pass forward flow at Maer Road Pumping Station and Phear Park Pumping Station which will increase the flows that Maer Lane WwTW receives. SWW are proposing to increase the pass forward flow to reduce the frequency of storm overflows at the pumping stations. All final effluent and storm sewage passing through Maer Lane WwTW will be directed to a new long sea outfall to coastal waters off Exmouth where effluent will discharge via a four-diffuser outlet.
We have identified these applications as being of high public interest and are carrying out a public consultation to ensure interested parties have time to view the applications and provide comments.
The consultation documents, including the permit applications and supporting information, are available to view on the Citizen Space page.
Please note that the Environment Agency can only consider comments that are relevant to environmental permitting matters when determining the applications.
How to view the application
The application may be viewed online at: https://consult.environment-agency.gov.uk/psc/ex8-5bd-ex8-5bd-ex8-1tq-and-ex8-2bd-south-west/start_preview?token=9ce86b2d5d73e0708a55d10c35a7c67cc09ea84e
The application is also held on the public register and can be viewed at the following location:
The Environment Agency, Manley House, Kestrel Way, Exeter, Devon, EX2 7LQ
You can look at the register 9.30am to 4.30pm, Monday to Friday. Please phone the Environment Agency’s National Customer Contact Centre on 03708 506 506 to arrange an appointment. You can have a copy of documents on the register. The Environment Agency may charge to cover copying costs.
How to comment on the application
If you have any comments send these by 22 September 2026.
Comments can be made:
- By post: The Environment Agency, Permitting and Support Centre, WQ Team, Quadrant 2, 99 Parkway Avenue, Sheffield, S9 4WF
Please quote the application number in any correspondence.
The Environment Agency will normally put any comments it receives on the public register. This includes your name but not your personal contact details. Please tell us if you do not want your response to be public.
The privacy notice for permit applicants/operators can be viewed at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/environmental-permits-privacy-notice
Open to feedback
From
5-Aug-2026
To
22-Sept-2026
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