You could be fined for doing any work without consent, under the Land Drainage Act 1991 as amended by the Flood and Water Management Act 2010.
If the watercourse is on your land
If you have a watercourse on your land you are known as the riparian owner. You must:
- get permission before making any changes
- report incidents such as pollution through GOV.UK
- report flooding on GOV.UK
- let water flow naturally and remove any obstructions
- prevent pollution
- protect wildlife
Find out more about your responsibilities as a riparian owner on GOV.UK.
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Check who to get permission from
Check who you will need permission from before carrying out any work on or near a watercourse.
Main river
If the stretch of watercourse is part of a main river, you may need an environmental permit from the Environment Agency.
Check if the watercourse is part of a main river on the Environment Agency's map.
Watercourses in the Wetherby area
Some areas in Wetherby need permission from the Ainsty Internal Drainage Board (Ainsty IDB).
Check with Ainsty IDB if you need their permission.
Other watercourses in Leeds
We are the Lead Local Flood Authority for any other ordinary watercourses in the Leeds area.
You will need our written consent for any work you want to carry out.
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When to apply for permission
As the Lead Local Flood Authority, you need our written permission or consent for work on or near a watercourse that meets any of the following:
- is within 8 metres of a watercourse
- changes the flow of the water or the amount that can be stored
- creates a new culvert
We will not give permission to work that can increase flood risk or has a negative effect on wildlife.
Examples of work that require consent
Some examples of work that will need consent from us include:
- building over a watercourse, such as a driveway, walkway, bridge or decking
- making a pipe, or culvert, for the flow of water
- any tree planting or construction that is within 8 metres of a watercourse
- changing the banks or removing any material from the bed of a watercourse
- diverting the flow of a watercourse
Contact us to discuss your plans if:
- you're not sure you need to apply
- you want to know if we are likely to give permission
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How to apply
If you think you need permission for any work then contact us for an application form and guidance to help you.
Your application will need to have:
- a detailed description of the proposed work
- technical drawings
- a statement on how you plan to carry out the work
You should think about having a professional, such as an engineer or surveyor, help prepare your application.
Cost of applying
The cost of applying will depend on what work you need. Each structure costs £50.
Example: Sam wants to put up a wall to stabilise the banks and also connect an outfall pipe.
The total application fee would be £100 to cover these 2 structures.
How to pay
Contact us to discuss your fee before you send your application form.
We will then contact you after receiving your application to take payment by card or bank transfer.
After you have applied
We usually let you know our decision within 8 weeks of receiving payment for your application.
If we give consent, you still need to tell us when you are starting work. Contact us at least 7 days before. Work must be completed within 2 years of getting consent.
Some works may require planning permission in addition to watercourse consent.
