The Planning (Hazardous Substances) (Wales) Regulations 2015

The Seveso Directive introduced by the European Commission ensures that Member States have systems to prevent on-shore major accidents involving hazardous substances. This would limit the impact on the public and the environment should an accident occur. Member States are required to transpose the Seveso Directive’s requirements into their own legislation.

The European Commission has published a revised Directive which is known as Seveso III. The main reason for the new Directive is to address changes that have been made in the classification of hazardous substances and to strengthen requirements for public access to information and participation in decision making.

The majority of the Directive’s requirements are transposed through health and safety legislation by the Health and Safety Executive across Great Britain.  The Welsh Government is responsible for transposing the land use planning requirements of the directive in Wales.