Flood risk activities: environmental permits

Imported from official source

April 05, 2016 23:00

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You must follow the environmental permitting rules if you want to do work:

These are regulated under environmental permits (formerly flood defence consents). You are breaking the law if you operate without getting the permit you need.

There are other laws that may also restrict what you can do on or near a main river or sea defence:

contact the Environment Agency to find out about byelaws that may apply to you

regional flood defence and land drainage byelaws control some activities around watercourses and flood defences

Check if the activity is on a main river

Work on or near main rivers is regulated by environmental permitting. Check the location of main rivers.

You do not need flood risk permits to work on ‘ordinary watercourses’– usually small rivers, streams and ditches. But you should contact your local council or internal drainage board to check if you need land drainage consent.

You may need to apply for permission to do any of the following regulated flood risk activities:

erecting any temporary or permanent structure in, over or under a main river, such as a culvert, outfall, weir, dam, pipe crossing, erosion protection, scaffolding or bridge

altering, repairing or maintaining any temporary or permanent structure in, over or under a main river, where the work could affect the flow of water in the river or affect any drainage work

building or altering any permanent or temporary structure designed to contain or divert flood waters from a main river

dredging, raising or removing any material from a main river, including when you are intending to improve flow in the river or use the materials removed

diverting or impounding the flow of water or changing the level of water in a main river

quarrying or excavation within 16 metres of any main river, flood defence (including a remote defence) or culvert

any activity within 8 metres of the bank of a main river, or 16 metres if it is a tidal main river

This is an extract. The publication continues at the source.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Licence

Read the original at the source: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/flood-risk-activities-environmental-permits

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Organization: Environment Agency — imported from official source
Official source: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/environment-agency.atom ATOM
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