Making changes to waterways – Land Drainage Consent
If you want to undertake any works which may affect the flow of a watercourse or increase flood risk you may need to apply for Land Drainage Consent before starting the work.
Please read the below guidance and supporting documents in order to ensure that your application is valid and completed correctly. Should you have any further queries we encourage you to contact us in advance of applying for consent so that we can discuss your requirements and provide advice.
Under the Land Drainage Act 1991 certain types of work within a watercourse may not be permitted due to the potential increases in flood risk. To allow work to take place Nottinghamshire County Council can issue consent for a proposed scheme by checking that it does not increase the risk of flooding and that it does not adversely affect the environment.
If the watercourse is defined as a main river, as shown on the Statutory Main River Map (arcgis.com), you need to apply for consent from the Environment Agency at Flood risk activities: environmental permits - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
Works affecting an ordinary watercourse (a watercourse that is not part of a main river and includes rivers, streams, ditches, drains, cuts, culverts, dikes, sluices, sewers (other than public sewers within the meaning of the Water Industry Act 1991) and passages, through which water flows) will require consent from Nottinghamshire County Council Flood Risk Management, OR your local internal drainage board. To check if the watercourse is managed by the Internal Drainage Board you can check their website WATER MANAGEMENT CONSORTIUM (wmc-idbs.org.uk).
Both permanent works (such as erecting culverts, weirs, dams, leaky barriers) and temporary works (such as erecting scaffolding, over pumping or damming to facilitate permanent works) affecting a watercourse may require consent.
For Detailed information on what works would require a consent, and how many consentable structures or activities this would constitute, please see our Structures and Activities requiring Land Drainage Consent document.
If you are still unsure whether the works you are proposing require Land Drainage Consent, please contact the Flood Risk Management Team to discuss the works and whether this will be required.
The cost of land drainage consent is £50.00 per consentable structure or activity.
An additional cost of £75.00 per consentable structure or activity will be required for compliance checking.
Following construction Nottinghamshire County Council will need to undertake a compliance checking inspection to ensure structures have been installed as per the plans, designs and method statements consented to ensure flood risk is not increased in the area.
Important: You will need to inform us within 7 days of installation that works are completed. We will then arrange for a Flood Risk Officer to visit the site to carry out the inspection and once this check is completed and the works deemed satisfactory the compliance checking certificate will be issued.
Upon receipt of a valid application AND payment, Nottinghamshire County Council has an 8-week period in which to grant or refuse consent. (In the event you need a quicker turn around on the application the council offers a Fast Track service to ensure the application can be processed within a two-week period (The cost of this service is £200).
For details on the information which is required to support your application please see our Consent Application Checklist, which outlines the plans, sections and supplementary information required to be submitted.
The most convenient and easiest way is by submitting your application online. You will be able to upload all the necessary documentation at this time and your online payment will automatically be taken once you provide your bank details.
If you have difficulty applying online please contact our customer service centre on 0300 500 80 80 who will be able to complete this over the phone.
