Consent to work on or a near a watercourse on private land

How to apply for consent to work on or near an ordinary watercourse or main river.

You must check and get consent if you are planning to undertake work on or near a watercourse on your private land.

You will need to contact the right organisation.

An ‘ordinary watercourse’ is any watercourse that is not classified as a main river. These can include a small river, stream, brook, ditch or culvert.

You normally own a stretch of an ordinary watercourse, if:

  • it runs on to or under your land
  • is on the boundary of your land, up to its centre

You will need to check if you need consent from Surrey County Council.

Check if you need ordinary watercourse consent – Surrey County Council

If your proposed works are near a main river, you will need to check if you require a flood risk activity permit.

Check if you need a flood risk activity permit – Environment Agency