Apply for land drainage consent
You’ll need to apply for land drainage consent if you’re planning on carrying out work on an ordinary watercourse.
Ordinary watercourses are passages of water that do not form part of a main river. They can include:
- streams
- ditches
- drains
- mills
- dams
- culverts
- weirs
Identify a watercourse
Get pre-application advice from us
We offer a pre-application advice service for proposed works to ordinary watercourses.
This is an efficient and cost-effective approach to undertaking works on an ordinary watercourse because it prevents unnecessary delays to the formal land drainage consent application process.
You can request the following services:
- a virtual meeting, followed by written advice
- a site visit, followed by written advice
- a hydraulic modelling review
Pre-application advice is a charged service.
View more in our Terms and Conditions.
| Type of application | Service | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 3 structures/alterations on a watercourse | Virtual meeting with written advice | £248 |
| Site visit with written advice | £499 | |
| 4 to 6 structures/alterations on a watercourse | Virtual meeting with written advice | £352 |
| Site visit with written advice | £627 | |
| 7 or more structures/alterations on a watercourse | Virtual meeting with written advice | £575 |
| Site visit with written advice | £858 | |
| Hydraulic model review | Model specification review | £116 per hour |
| Model outputs review | £116 per hour |
Submit your application
Apply for pre-application advice online:
Include the following information with your pre-application advice request:
- location (including the National Grid Reference)
- a description of and requirement for the proposed works
- location plan
- site plan showing the extent of the proposed structure/alteration in relation to the watercourse
We recommend sending the following information with a pre-application advice request:
- construction drawings of the proposed structure (where applicable)
- photographs of the location and surrounding area
- existing and proposed cross-sectional drawings of the watercourse
- to be taken upstream, downstream and on structure/alteration location
- existing and proposed long-sectional drawings of the watercourse
- bank and bank levels to be clearly shown
- the long section should begin upstream and end downstream of the structure/alteration
- a topographic survey of the watercourse (mAOD)
- any further information the applicant feels that the LLFA should be aware of
Advice and feedback on hydraulic modelling will be provided in written form.
For further guidance on hydraulic modelling, refer to the Environment Agency’s Guidance on River Modelling: Technical Standards and Assessment.
For both the model specification review and the model output report review we will require the following supporting information:
- location (incl. National Grid Reference)
- a description of the existing watercourse situation and details of the proposed works/alterations
- location plan
- site plan showing the extent of the proposed structure/alteration in relation to the watercourse
- a topographic survey of the watercourse (mAOD)
For the model specification review, ensure that the specification is inclusive of:
- purpose of the model
- proposed hydrology
- method of applying flows (these should be derived using FEH methods)
- rainfall events to be tested (as a minimum we expect this will include 10-year, 30-year and 100-year)
- input data details, which may include:
- river gauging (if applicable)
- flood history
- mapping data (used to inform model surface roughness)
- any existing models
- topographic survey data of the channel / floodplain
- topographic data from LiDAR (to inform surface topography)
- proposed hydraulic modelling
- modelling software to be used
- type of model (for example 1D or a 1D/2D linked model)
- scenarios to test (baseline, proposed, sensitivity tests, blockage scenarios etc.)
Refer to the Environment Agency’s website for more information on completing a hydraulic model method statement.
For the modelling output review, ensure the modelling report is inclusive of:
- modelling software used
- type of model used (for example 1D or 1D/2D linked)
- modelling parameters and boundary conditions
- boundary plan
- details of hydrology assessment
- details of the data used to inform the model, for example:
- existing models
- topographical survey / LiDAR
- mapping source
- number of cross-sections taken (with location indicated)
- details of any upstream and/or downstream restrictions to flows
- pre-development scenario, including a description of watercourse dimensions
- proposed scenarios, including of channel and structure parameters
- maps of pre-development & post development flood extents and depths
- tabulated model outputs, inclusive of return period, section reference, and flood levels (m AoD) in both the pre and post development scenarios
- model files
- these do not need to be provided upfront and requirement for the model files will be confirmed by LLFA team following pre-application submission.
How to apply
You can apply online for land drainage consent. It costs £50 per structure to apply.
With your application you will need to upload:
- a location plan
- a general arrangement or site plan
- structure specific details and drawings (such as construction drawings) showing how the structure fits into the watercourse
Details and drawings should include:
- cross-sections of the watercourse, showing the existing and proposed invert, bed, bank top, or road levels upstream, downstream and on structure location - the cross-sections should clearly show the profile of the watercourse
- a long-section of the watercourse, showing existing and proposed levels - this should begin upstream of the structure and finish downstream of the structure, and cross-section locations should be clearly shown
- method statement for the construction of the proposed structure, inclusive of ecological details
- photographs of the structure location and surrounding areas
Depending on the proposal, we may also require drainage calculations to demonstrate no increase in water levels upstream or downstream of the structure.
More information about detailed drawings can be found in our land drainage consent guidance notes.
Terms and conditions - Land Drainage Consent
Read our online terms and conditions before applying for this advice service.
The first time you use this application, you will need to register.
The fee is £50 per consentable structure/alteration to the ordinary watercourse.
The two-month determination period for consent applications will only begin upon receipt of full payment and all supporting information for the proposed works.
Ensure you have read our Land Drainage consent guidance before applying for consent. If you have any questions, email [email protected].
By completing this form you will be providing some personal information about yourself. View more about how and why we collect this data, on our privacy policy.
We’ll grant or refuse consent within 2 months of receiving your application.
If you want to culvert an ordinary watercourse
A culvert is a covered structure that allows water to flow from one area to another. Buckinghamshire Council is the consenting authority for erecting a culvert in an ordinary watercourse.
If you are planning to culvert an ordinary watercourse, read our Culvert Policy before applying for land drainage consent.
This policy has been adopted to prevent the unnecessary culverting of Buckinghamshire's ordinary watercourses due to the adverse effects culverting can have on the environment. This includes:
- exacerbated risk of flooding
- increased maintenance requirements
- difficulty detecting pollution
- destruction of wildlife habitats
- damage to natural amenity
Carrying out work on other types of watercourse
If you'd like to carry out work:
- on a main river, you should speak to the Environment Agency
- within an Internal Drainage Board area, you should speak to the Buckingham and River Ouzel Internal Drainage Board - you can also view a map of the Board’s area on their website.
If work has been carried out on a watercourse without consent
We have enforcement powers if work has been carried out on a watercourse without consent.
For more information, read our Land Drainage Enforcement Policy.
Help with your application
If you’d like to contact us before making an application for land drainage consent to discuss your requirements, email [email protected].