'We can't find any reason to refuse the variation application,' the Environment Agency said this week as it opened a public consultation on Angus Fire's permit in High Bentham, North Yorkshire. It's a 'minded to' position, not a final decision, and residents are being asked to weigh in. (gov.uk)

Under the draft permit, Angus Fire would install and run an effluent treatment plant to cut PFAS in both stored and future rainwater on site. Once treated, water would be released to the River Wenning at levels the agency describes as current best practice. (gov.uk)

The draft permit conditions and decision document are available on the Environment Agency's Citizen Space. The consultation runs from Thursday 5 March until the end of Wednesday 1 April 2026, and responses will shape the final call. (gov.uk)

PFAS was used historically in firefighting foam made and tested at Bentham; the company no longer manufactures foam at the site. The regulator notes the site's original permit did not include PFAS‑specific limits, hence the move to formalise tighter conditions through this variation. (gov.uk)

Local voices want clarity. 'The group hopes Angus Fire will willingly reveal information,' said Cleaner Bentham's Mat Young ahead of last summer's public meeting, reflecting calls for fuller data sharing with residents along the Wenning. (yorkshirebylines.co.uk)

On drinking water, Yorkshire Water has said the Bentham factory is 'not within the direct raw water catchment' for the treatment works that supply the area, with sampling in that catchment showing no concerns at the time. River health, though, remains a live issue for locals. (yorkshirebylines.co.uk)

The Wenning sits within the River Lune catchment, carrying water west through North Yorkshire and Lancashire towards Morecambe Bay. Communities downstream have a stake in how any discharge is controlled and monitored. (environment.data.gov.uk)

Angus Fire told Bentham Town Council last year that it was capturing stormwater on site pending treatment and reported early consultant feedback that 'large‑scale transport and mass discharge to the River Wenning is not demonstrated' in recent river data. (thebenthamnews.co.uk)

National reporting has kept Bentham in the spotlight: in May 2024 The Guardian reported the UK's highest recorded concentrations of PFAS in groundwater on Angus Fire‑owned land in the town, intensifying scrutiny of remediation plans. (theguardian.com)

What happens next is set in law: the agency may only refuse a permit if legal requirements are not met; if protections are assured, it is obliged to issue one. Residents can respond via Citizen Space or by emailing pscpublicresponse@environment-agency.gov.uk; those unable to go online can call 03708 506 506. (gov.uk)