Environmental guidance for your business in Northern Ireland & Scotland
When working in or near the water environment you must have the appropriate authorisation to carry out the activity and you must ensure that you know and follow the rules of the authorisation.
In Scotland, Certain engineering works can be carried without contacting SEPA. However, where relevant, you must comply with the General Binding Rules (GBRs) and you must ensure you do not cause pollution.
In Scotland, you do not need to contact SEPA if you’re removing sediments from within:
For any other dredging works in rivers, burns and lochs you must contact SEPA for higher level authorisations – See SEPA: Authorisations
In Scotland, The removal of fallen trees, litter, debris and vegetation in or near watercourses can be carried out without contacting SEPA. However, vegetation removal from banks should be done in a way that minimises erosion.
In Scotland, you do not need to contact SEPA when maintaining or repairing existing manmade structure, if you are:
For any other works to existing banks, embankments or floodwalls you must contact SEPA for higher level authorisations – See SEPA: Authorisations
Note: You must comply with GBR 9 when operating machinery in or near water for purpose of maintaining existing manmade structure
In Scotland, you do not need to contact SEPA for the following works:
For any other works involving reinforcing or re-profiling river banks you must contact SEPA for higher level authorisations – See SEPA: Authorisations
In Scotland, you do not need to contact SEPA for the following works:
For all other works involving bridges and other crossing structures you must contact SEPA for higher level authorisations – See SEPA: Authorisations
In Scotland, placing boulders in watercourses can be carried out without contacting SEPA if the boulder placements occupy less than 10% of the channel width – Comply with GBR 14 (and GBR 9)
You must contact SEPA for higher level authorisations for:
Channel modification works include:
In Scotland all works involving channel modification will require authorisation from SEPA - See SEPA: Authorisations
SEPA: CAR A Practical Guide (Adobe pdf)
SEPA: Know the rules poster (Adobe PDF)
GPP 5: Works and maintenance in or near water (Adobe PDF – 782KB)
Groundwater in Northern Ireland, DAERA have produced a leaflet to raise awareness about this untapped resource
EU Exit, EU Exit useful information
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