Environmental Permitting comprises a common set of definitions, processes and controls for the permitting of specified activities. Defra plan to include a power in primary legislation to enable the Environmental Permitting Regulations (EPRs) to be extended to flood defence consents.
Integration of flood defence consents into the Environmental Permitting framework main rivers and sea defences
Environmental Permitting comprises a common set of definitions, processes and controls for the permitting of specified activities. Defra brought flood defence consents into the Environmental Permitting Regulations (EPRs) from April 2016. The EPRs have since been consolidated and a new set of Regulations was issued on 1 January 2017.
Under the EPR Framework, prior permission is needed before undertaking certain works on or near main rivers[1] or sea defences to ensure that flood risk is not increased, and flood risk permits are issued by the Environment Agency. There are exemptions and land owners are able to do very low risk activities without a permit (de-silt up to 1.5km of man made ditches) by simply registering with the EA.
[1] Main rivers are defined as a watercourse marked as such on a main river map. Main rivers are usually larger streams and rivers, but also include some smaller watercourses.