Devon, Cornwall, Isles of Scilly Regulated Industry Sites
In the Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly (DCIS) area, we regulate a large number of permitted sites, including factories, mines, landfills and agricultural producers. We regularly receive enquiries about our work - this page will highlight the sites that we we receive the highest level of interest for. You will find site information, frequently asked questions and answers regarding our work, inspection updates and latest news. If you are interested in a site not given here, please email our customer and enquiries team. (This page will be subject to change depending on the which sites we receive the highest level of enquiries for).
To ensure you receive notifications about our most recent work for these sites, register with us and then subscribe to follow this page - links to do this are in the information bar.
Current Issues and Sites
We will post information about the sites we receive the most enquiries about on this page. Please follow the links below to find their fact files, or scroll to our Newsfeed at the bottom of the page to read our latest update.
- Wadebridge Road Wastewater Treatment Works, St Mabyn - a proposed upgrade to a wastewater treatment works in St Mabyn.
- Davidstow Creamery - the UK's largest cheese manufacturer, we need to vary their permit to protect the River Inny. The operator have also applied to vary their permit to increase their production.
- Our pollution incident response in Exmouth - Following a number of sewage pollution incidents since 2023, we have been investigating the events, monitoring to understand the impact on the environment and ensuring South West Water (SWW) implement a sewerage system fit for the future.
- Septic Tank Waste in Cornwall - We have been concerned about the illegal spreading of septic tank waste to land in Cornwall for several years, and we know local communities are worried too. Visit this section to learn more about how septic tank waste can be managed safely.
If you experience any issues relating to any of these sites, or sites not listed on this page, please call our pollution hotline on 0800 80 70 60. Use this link to find out more about how to report an environmental issue.
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Davidstow Creamery: Consultation Closed
On 16 January 2026 we invited you to submit feedback and questions on our draft decision document and the draft permit for the creamery at Davidstow. The new permit incorporates changes the operator wished to make, alongside our changes which place tighter controls on the discharge to the River Inny. The consultation closed on Friday 27 February, at midnight.
We received 14 responses to this consultation. Thank you for taking the time to submit your comments. We will consider all the responses you have provided to us through both consultations, before we make a decision. We will take the concerns you raised during the consultation into account when we communicate our final decision.
What happens when we make a decision?
If no new information comes to light through the consultation and there aren't any technical reasons to refuse the permit application, we are bound by the Regulator's Code to issue the permit. This is a government policy to ensure regulators do not obstruct economic development.
We are likely to issue this permit to Dairy Crest Limited, because we need to place tighter controls on their discharge to the River Inny and protect the river's ecology. We also want to make sure that we are supporting Saputo to grow their business, so long as it is not at the detriment of the environment or the local community.
If we decide to refuse the permit, Saputo will have the right to appeal our decision.
We will write to you again very soon to let you know our decision.
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We have extended the consultation for Davidstow Creamery
We have listened to your feedback and decided to extend our consultation on the Dairy Crest Limited proposed permit variation and draft decision document, by a further two weeks.
Following conversations with some of you, we understand that you would like more time to consider the technical information included in the draft permit.
We have therefore extended the consultation until 27 February 2026.
We invite you to comment on the draft permit and draft decision document. The draft documents can be viewed online on our Consultation Portal, Citizen Space:
You can send us your comments using our online consultation portal, Citizen Space, or by:
- Email: pscpublicresponse@environment-agency.gov.uk
- Post: Environment Agency Permitting and Support Centre, Land Team, Quadrant 2, 99 Parkway Avenue, Sheffield, S9 4WF.
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Wadebridge Road WWTW, St Mabyn - Consultation now closed
On 20 December 2025, we invited you to submit feedback and questions on our draft decision document and the draft permit for the proposed upgrade to the wastewater treatment works on Wadebridge Road, St Mabyn. The consultation closed last night, at midnight.
We received 23 responses to this consultation. Thank you for taking the time to submit your comments. We will consider all the responses you have provided to us through both consultations, before we make a decision. We will take the concerns you raised during the consultation into account when we communicate our final decision.
What happens when we make a decision?
If no new information comes to light through the consultation and there aren't any technical reasons to refuse the permit application, we are bound by the Regulator's Code to issue the permit. This is a government policy to ensure regulators do not obstruct economic development.
We are likely to issue this permit to SWW, because the alternative means that the current WWTW would become overwhelmed by the increase in sewage flow from the Chapelfields development. This would result in either increased sewage tankering in St Mabyn, or raw sewage spilling to the stream and potentially causing significant environmental harm. We want to make sure that we are enabling SWW to improve its infrastructure and cope with growing demand.
If we decide to refuse the permit, SWW will have the right to appeal our decision.
We will let you know our decision very soon.
How can I get further information?
Keep an eye on our local social media channels:
Facebook - Environment Agency South and South West and X - @EnvAgencySW
For more general information about our permitting process please follow this link.
If you would like to be added to or removed from our mailing list for this application, please email us at DCISEnquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk or write to us at
Customer and Engagement Team
Manley House
Kestrel Way
Sowton Industrial Estate
Exeter
EX2 7LQ
Wadebridge Road Wastewater Treatment Works, St Mabyn
Exmouth Water Quality
Septic Tank Waste in Cornwall
Contact us
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Phone 03708 506 506 Email DCISenquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk