Development licences (formerly ‘works approval’) are for the design, construction and modification stages of your building project. They protect the environment by enabling you to minimise risk, so far as reasonably practicable, before building starts.
Apply for a development licence if your industrial or waste management activity is high-risk and you are:
The legal basis of development licences are in section 44 of the Environment Protection Act 2017(the Act). Helia EHS will guide you through the development licence application process to satisfy the requirements for approval. We’ll also liaise with the EPA to facilitate the timely delivery of your development licence. Sometimes a development licence is not required; however evidence is still required to be sent to the EPA to confirm that a licence exemption for a development activity is being sought.
Permissions Information and Performance Statements (PIPS) have replaced Annual Performance Statements (APSs). Businesses with a new or updated licence must provide a PIPS when requested by EPA. This condition will replace the previous APS reporting.Some permits will also have the PIPS reporting condition.
PIPS reporting program under development
Consult the EPA Victoria website on the PIPS reporting program. We can help with this process too.
Record keeping
Businesses holding EPA licences and permits must keep adequate records in line with record keeping licence conditions. Consult the EPA Victoria website for more information about record keeping and reporting requirements and/or Helia EHS can assist you in this area.
The Environment Protection (Scheduled Premises) Regulations 2017 specify which scheduled activities must submit financial assurance.
These include premises licensed to conduct prescribed industrial waste management, landfills, bulk storage and container washing.
All sites that have a licence condition to maintain a financial assurance will be reviewed against the EPA.
Helia EHS assists EPA Licence holding clients. Financial assurance proposals should be prepared using the necessary EPA guidance documents and address certain components (at a minimum).
In the event of non-compliance, authorised officers have the power to issue a remedial notice or give a direction. Where businesses have not complied, authorised officers will collect evidence and prioritise enforcement action as per EPA’s compliance obligations.
We can assist with EPA liaison – including reporting requirements, EPA meetings, etc. – associated with remedial notices, directions and site management orders.
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