Drainage Boards and Planning
The Drainage Boards in the Somerset Consortium are a contributing authority in the planning process. Two councils in Somerset consult the Drainage Boards on matters of drainage, water level management and flood risk within the Boards’ boundaries.
The two councils are:
Planning applications and their details are made available to the Consortium staff for their comments. Our staff will investigate the site for flood risk and water level management issues as well as its proximity to a watercourse. The Boards response is then passed to the relevant Planning Authority for their consideration.
As a consultee in the process, the Board does not have the legal power to grant or reject a planning application that we scrutinise. Our role is to advise that any proposed development will not increase flood risk, adversely affect water level management or restrict the Board’s ability to maintain any watercourse.
In addition to the safeguards offered by the Planning Process, the Boards also have enacted Byelaws to control all works within 9 metres of any watercourse in the Drainage Board area.
