Borehole legalities

[Penners]

Our neighbour owns the field at the end of our garden. he is thinking of sinking a borehole to extract water for irrigating the tree plantation in the field.

Does anyone know whether he has the right to do this at will? Or does he have to get permissions from local authority planning, the local water company, or anyone else?

By the way, I'm asking these questions to help him - not to object to the plan.

 

[biffvernon]

Well don't tell everybody then.

I think a household can abstract water for it's own use without telling the Environment Agency or the water company. Your neighbour's plan might be deemed to be an agricultural use though, which would need an abstraction licence.

 

[Penners]

So if it was just for a "water feature" near some trees...?

 

[Dave Alder]

According to a guy next door to us who is building small drilling rigs for such use. As long as the water is for his own use and the bore hole does not interfere with a water source that some one else may have a licsense to extract from then no problem. And he can extract 20 cubic meters a day with no licsense. PS Penners he lives in Gt Waldingfield

 

[Mark]

I think the environment agency is responsible for licencing, and you should get a hydrogeology survey first althougth the environment agency might already have the info - pointless making big holes if theres no water down them.

 

[Penners]

he can extract 20 cubic meters a day with no licsense

Interesting, Dave. 20 m3 is a lot of water, and I reckon my neighbour would stay well within that limit. Thanks for that information.

 

[Penners]

pointless making big holes if theres no water down them.

There's another borehole a hundred yards away, adjoining his land, so it seems unlikely that he'll have a dry hole.

 

[Peter]

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si1995/Uksi_19952038_en_2.htm

 

[biffvernon]

I think this link may be more relevant:
http://www.netregs.gov.uk/netregs/275207/275517/?version=1&lang=_e
20 cubic metres per day is indeed the significant figure.

 

[Penners]

Thanks everyone. I have passed all this on to my neighbour, who adds his sincere thanks. Very useful stuff.

 

[MDE]

The advice about no licence required for up to 20cu.m. per day is for domestic use, I think...I'm not sure if it applies to commercial use. They will need planning permission anyway as drilling a borehole is "engineering works". The environment agency may then stipulate conditions relating to the spoil etc.