Fen Management Handbook - Scottish Natural Heritage

Table of Legal and Planning Requirements for Projects involving Fens
and Water Resources
Type of Works Guidance for UK Countries
General guidance
England and Wales Works to ordinary water courses (including obstructions to
flow such as weirs and dams) and works that are in Flood
Zones or in, adjacent to, under or over main rivers require
Flood Defence Consent from the EA. Maps are held by the
EA
Works carried out on ordinary water courses in IDB areas
require IDB consent.
As the best first point of contact, get in touch with your EA
Area Biodiversity or Conservation Officer.
Scotland The planning process and Controlled Activity Regulations
(CAR 2005) controls all works in or near watercourses
(ref: Water Environment (Controlled Activities) (Scotland)
Regulations 2005) The Water Environment (Controlled
Activities) (Scotland) Regulations 2005
Northern Ireland Works in river channels require consent from the Rivers
Agency. Works adjacent to water courses are controlled
by the planning process
River Impoundment
General Guidance: PPG5 (Pollution Prevention Guidance),
published by EA, SEPA and NIEA covers any potential
adverse impacts on ground water
Environment Agency - Pollution Prevention Guidelines
(PPGs)
England and Wales Impoundment licenses are issued by the EA. See hyperlink
http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/business/topics/
water/32020.aspx
Flood Defence consent may also be required to build
impounding structures such as dams, weirs and sluices.
Scotland Impoundments require authorisation by SEPA
http://www.sepa.org.uk/water/regulations/regimes/
impoundment.aspx
Northern Ireland Impoundments require authorisation by NIEA
http://www.ni-environment.gov.uk/water-home/water_
resources/abstraction.htm
Water Abstraction
England and Wales Abstraction of >20 cubic metres per day from controlled
waters requires an EA licence
Environment Agency - Water abstraction
Scotland Authorisation for all water abstractions under Water
Environment (Controlled Activities) (Scotland)
Regulations 2005 Authorisation for all water abstractions
Organisation to
contact
EA, IDB
SEPA
NIEA
EA
SEPA
NIEA
EA
SEPA
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