Alterations to a watercourse

Ordinary watercourse consent (Sometimes referred to as land drainage consent)

Permission to carry out work on an ordinary watercourse.

Lancashire County Council is responsible for ordinary watercourse regulation within the county. Ordinary watercourses include drains, streams, ditches, and passages through which water flows that do not form part of main rivers. Main rivers are managed by the Environment Agency.

If you are looking to carry out construction work or make alterations to a watercourse you need to get permission from the county council first, under the Land Drainage Act 1991).

Please email your enquiry to highways@lancashire.gov.uk you can also use this for general enquiries about the process. Please mention ordinary watercourse consent in your enquiry.

You can apply for consent for works to ordinary watercourses by using the ordinary watercourse consent application form (PDF 157 KB) and emailing it through to highways@lancashire.gov.uk. Paper copies will be accepted but will take longer to process. Please read the ordinary watercourse application form guidance (PDF 131 KB) to help you to complete the application form.

There is a £50.00 fee per structure for ordinary watercourse consent, as each structure requires its own consent. This can be administered via one application form, if part of the same site.

An invoice will be raised once all the required information for your application has been received, and review of your application will only take place on receipt of full payment.

Lancashire County Council should determine your application within 8 weeks.  Your application will be refused if insufficient information has been submitted, but you will be informed of what further information is required. The 8 week review time will start over from the date that the further information is received.

Contacts

Lancashire County Council
Highways Department
Flood Risk Management
Cuerden Offices,
Cuerden Way
Preston
PR5 6BS

Tel: 0300 123 6780