Cyclical stop-start operation as a method of increasing permeate production and lowering energy requirements is discussed. It is thought that the removal of the applied pressure allows the reversible fouling, such as concentration polarisation, to dissipate. A model to simulate intermittent operation is developed and optimised with respect to optimising the permeate production. The model was used to simulate a theoretical optimised run and the results compared to those obtained from experiment. The experiments were performed with a dilute suspension of magnesium hydroxide and a range of cross-flow velocities. The experimental results were in good agreement with those calculated from the theoretical model. The use of intermittent operation showed permeate production increases in the order of 200% when compared to the permeate production of a steady flow run. Energy savings of more than 50% are also reported when using intermittent operation.