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Managing flood risk in development and building works
Find out how we manage flood risk in the borough, including protecting structures or features that play a role in reducing flood risk and promoting sustainable drainage such as ponds and green roofs.
Ordinary watercourse consenting
As Lead Local Flood Authority we are responsible for consenting and enforcing ordinary watercourses.
If you are undertaking work that will affect the flow of water through an ordinary watercourse or culvert, you need consent from us before works can begin.
A watercourse is defined in the Land Drainage Act 1991 as ‘all rivers and streams, all 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’.
An ordinary watercourse is a watercourse that has not been designated as a main river on the Environment agency's flood risk map.
If you do not get consent from us and your work affects an ordinary watercourse we have the power to take remedial action. This includes the power to complete the works and reclaim the associated costs from you (see section 23 of the Land Drainage Act 1991).