The Environment Agency has approved a variation to Drax Power Limited’s environmental permit, allowing post-combustion carbon capture to be added to its biomass-fired generating units at the Selby bioenergy plant in North Yorkshire. The decision enables integration of large-scale carbon capture and storage (CCS) infrastructure with existing flue gas treatment systems, including new absorber columns, solvent regeneration equipment and CO₂ compression and export facilities. Civil and geotechnical works will need to accommodate additional foundations, pipe racks and tie-ins within a live, high-load power station site.

New Environment Agency classifications under the Water Environment (Water Framework Directive) Regulations show only 14.3% of England’s surface water bodies achieve “Good ecological status” against retained EU standards. The results cover rivers, lakes, estuaries and coastal waters, and are based on biological, chemical and hydromorphological quality elements defined in the Directive. For civil and water engineers, the figures signal continued regulatory pressure on combined sewer overflows, wastewater treatment works and diffuse pollution controls in drainage and catchment management schemes.

Grey coastal protection is challenged as a default choice, with the Sir John Armitt Prize going to a coastal defence scheme that departs from traditional concrete and rock armour. The award citation is used to argue that hard, grey infrastructure is often a habit rather than an engineering necessity, opening the door for nature-based solutions such as dunes, saltmarsh and managed realignment. For coastal engineers, this signals growing professional backing for hybrid and soft defences where hydraulic loading, sediment transport and long-term adaptability allow.