Agricultural waste management planning and capacity in Lincolnshire - Find a freedom of information request

I am writing to request information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 regarding agricultural waste management planning and capacity in Lincolnshire, specifically concerning intensive poultry operations.

Please provide the following information:

For the period 2023-2024:

1) Total number of permitted intensive poultry operations in Lincolnshire Combined annual waste output from these operations (in tonnes)Current permitted waste management capacity for agricultural waste in the county

2) Regarding environmental permits:

Copies of any environmental impact assessments conducted in the last 24 months relating to agricultural waste management facilities in Lincolnshire Current criteria used by the Council for evaluating new waste management facility applications Any existing policies or frameworks for managing competing waste management needs in the region

3) Infrastructure planning:

Current waste management infrastructure capacity assessment for the region Any forecasted changes in agricultural waste management requirements for 2024-2025Documentation of any approved or pending applications for new waste management facilities

4) Strategic planning:

Copies of any strategic assessments or reports regarding agricultural waste management in Lincolnshire from the past 24 months Current policies regarding the coordination of waste management solutions between multiple agricultural operations Any feasibility studies conducted regarding shared waste management facilities.

Environmental permits are issued by the Environment Agency, with public registers available on their website. We would suggest contacting the Environment Agency/viewing their website to obtain information in relation to any environmental permits relating to intensive poultry operations, and associated tonnages and limitations etc.

Lincolnshire’s district councils are the relevant local planning authorities responsible for determining planning applications for intensive poultry operations. We suggest contacting them for information in this regard, and/or viewing their respective online planning registers on their websites.

Lincolnshire County Council is responsible for determining planning applications for waste management developments (including agricultural waste management facilities where this enters the formal waste management system) . Details of applications determined and currently under consideration for waste management facilities can be found on the county councils planning register: https://lincolnshire.planning-register.co.uk/

The county council is also responsible for producing a minerals and waste local plan, which amongst other things, identifies future waste management requirements for the county over the plan period, and sets out the policy framework for consideration of development proposals for waste management that may come forward. The current adopted plan is available on the county council’s website: https://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/planning/minerals-waste  The county council is also in the process of updating the Minerals and Waste Local Plan, with consultation carried out in Summer 2024 on a preferred approach for updating the plan – details are available on the county council’s consultation portal: https://www.letstalk.lincolnshire.gov.uk/minerals-and-waste-local-plan

Periodically, as part of its evidence base, the county council produces a Waste Needs Assessment to assess waste arisings, future requirements, and waste management capacity.  The latest assessment was produced in 2021 and included consideration of agricultural waste – this is available on the county council’s website: https://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/downloads/download/222/waste-needs-assessment  As part of the county council’s work on updating the Minerals and Waste Local Plan, an updated Waste Needs Assessment is expected to be produced and published later in 2025 and will be made available on the council’s website when it is published.