Are You Carrying Out Activities Close to a River?

April 23, 2020

In England, Flood Risk Activity Permits are required by law when activities are being carried out which may affect main rivers, flood plains, flood defences and tidal/sea defences.

You may need a permit if you are doing any of the following:

  • Any activity within 8 metres of the bank of a main river, or 16 metres if it is a tidal main river
  • Any activity within 8 metres of any flood defence structure or culvert on a main river, or 16 metres on a tidal river
  • Any activity within 16 metres of a sea defence structure
  • Activities carried out on the floodplain of a main river, more than 8 metres from the riverbank, culvert or flood defence structure (or 16 metres if it is a tidal main river), if you do not have planning permission


View the government regulations and guidance here. There are similar regulatory requirements in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.


What do you need to do?

The first step is to check if your site is close to a main river by visiting the Environment Agency’s Main River Map and typing in your postcode. If your site is within the specified distance, then a FRAP may be required. Applications can take months to be processed and determined, which is a real stumbling block to projects that may already be on hold or delayed due to Covid-19.


If your site is close to an ordinary watercourse that is not designated as a main river, then you need to contact your local council and/or drainage board to discuss the requirements.


What FRAP do I need?

There are two permits that you can apply for:


  • Standard rules permit- this applies if your works are fully covered in the list of standard activities defined by the Environment Agency.
  • Bespoke permit- this applies if your works do not fall wholly within the list of standard activities. More complicated process.


If your activities require a bespoke permit you must carry out a risk assessment which considers the potential impact of your work on flood risk, drainage and the environment. You must also develop a management system which shows how you will manage any risks. It’s important, especially at present, that any supporting documents are prepared in a clear and concise way, to enable the Environment Agency to determine applications efficiently.


There’s good news

Government organisations such as the Environment Agency continue to function during the lockdown, which means this time could be used productively to submit your permit application and allow your project to progress as soon as possible.


Envireau Water staff are on hand to fully assess the regulatory requirements at your site, produce the relevant technical work, manage the application process and liaise with regulatory authorities to obtain the necessary permit. We are here to support our clients and simplify the process, take a read of the following recent case study to see for yourself.


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Richmond Bike Park Success

By Rachael Plant • September 25, 2025
Envireau Water are thrilled to have contributed to the recent successful planning application for the construction of a community bike park in Richmond, North Yorkshire. Louise Raine, a local to the area, first set up the campaign after realising there were no 'safe and purpose-built spaces' for her children and other families. In collaboration with the local community and town council, Envireau Water volunteered to provide high-level technical support on flood risk and drainage solutions, following concerns raised by a lead regulatory authority. Hydrologists, Mairi , Lee , and Michael conducted a review of flood risk, drainage pathways and soil infiltration potential. Upon developing the drainage strategy and producing pre- and post-development 2D runoff modelling, it was discovered that the proposed location had no significant risk. By investigating the soil types and overland flow pathways, it was also noted that the suggested drainage strategy would have both a flood risk benefit and an environmental benefit of enhancing the ecology and biodiversity of the land.

Anna Hitchmough joins Envireau Water

By Rachael Plant • July 22, 2025
We are excited to welcome Dr Anna Hitchmough to our growing team, who recently joined Envireau Water as a Principal Technical Specialist. With over 25 years of consultancy experience in hydrogeology, Anna brings a wealth of expertise to our team. Anna joins us from Carbon Zero Consulting/RSK Geosciences, where her career has centred around ground-source heat pump systems. In her most recent role, Anna chaired RSK's Heat Decarbonisation Working Group and Hydrogeology Working Group. Anna brings extensive experience in quantitative risk assessments and NAPL characterisation and has completed significant work on several contaminated land projects, having previously served as Chair of the Geological Society's Contaminated Land Group. Anna's academic background stems from the University of Newcastle where she completed an MSc in Hydrology, followed by a PhD in Hydrogeology at the University of Birmingham. She is also a chartered geologist.

Hannah Muir joins Envireau Water

By Rachael Plant • July 10, 2025
We're always excited to see our team grow, and we are thrilled to welcome Hannah to the team. Hannah joined our Scotland office at the end of June to gain some hydrogeological experience alongside completing her university studies, and we look forward to welcoming her officially in September where she will begin her career as a Hydrogeologist. Prior to joining, Hannah completed a BSc in Environmental Sciences at University of Glasgow and is currently working towards completing an MSc in Hydrogeology at the University of Strathclyde. During her masters and undergraduate degree, Hannah has participated in various fieldwork activities where she developed an in-depth understanding of applied hydrology, soil analysis and mapping techniques.
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Richmond Bike Park Success

By Rachael Plant • September 25, 2025
Envireau Water are thrilled to have contributed to the recent successful planning application for the construction of a community bike park in Richmond, North Yorkshire. Louise Raine, a local to the area, first set up the campaign after realising there were no 'safe and purpose-built spaces' for her children and other families. In collaboration with the local community and town council, Envireau Water volunteered to provide high-level technical support on flood risk and drainage solutions, following concerns raised by a lead regulatory authority. Hydrologists, Mairi , Lee , and Michael conducted a review of flood risk, drainage pathways and soil infiltration potential. Upon developing the drainage strategy and producing pre- and post-development 2D runoff modelling, it was discovered that the proposed location had no significant risk. By investigating the soil types and overland flow pathways, it was also noted that the suggested drainage strategy would have both a flood risk benefit and an environmental benefit of enhancing the ecology and biodiversity of the land.

Anna Hitchmough joins Envireau Water

By Rachael Plant • July 22, 2025
We are excited to welcome Dr Anna Hitchmough to our growing team, who recently joined Envireau Water as a Principal Technical Specialist. With over 25 years of consultancy experience in hydrogeology, Anna brings a wealth of expertise to our team. Anna joins us from Carbon Zero Consulting/RSK Geosciences, where her career has centred around ground-source heat pump systems. In her most recent role, Anna chaired RSK's Heat Decarbonisation Working Group and Hydrogeology Working Group. Anna brings extensive experience in quantitative risk assessments and NAPL characterisation and has completed significant work on several contaminated land projects, having previously served as Chair of the Geological Society's Contaminated Land Group. Anna's academic background stems from the University of Newcastle where she completed an MSc in Hydrology, followed by a PhD in Hydrogeology at the University of Birmingham. She is also a chartered geologist.

Hannah Muir joins Envireau Water

By Rachael Plant • July 10, 2025
We're always excited to see our team grow, and we are thrilled to welcome Hannah to the team. Hannah joined our Scotland office at the end of June to gain some hydrogeological experience alongside completing her university studies, and we look forward to welcoming her officially in September where she will begin her career as a Hydrogeologist. Prior to joining, Hannah completed a BSc in Environmental Sciences at University of Glasgow and is currently working towards completing an MSc in Hydrogeology at the University of Strathclyde. During her masters and undergraduate degree, Hannah has participated in various fieldwork activities where she developed an in-depth understanding of applied hydrology, soil analysis and mapping techniques.

Rob Pickersgill joins Envireau Water

By Rachael Plant • July 8, 2025
Our team just keeps on growing and we are delighted to welcome Rob Pickersgill as our newest member! Rob joined us at the end of June, bringing extensive experience across both hydrology and civil engineering, with a particular focus on hydraulic modelling, Flood Risk Assessments (FRAs), and Discharge Impact Assessments. Rob's academic background stems from the University of Nottingham, where he completed a MEng in Engineering, followed by an MSC in Global Urban Development and Planning at the University of Manchester. Rob joins our specialist surface water team and will be based at the RSK Group office in Bristol, providing hydrological services to a range of projects for our diverse client base, primarily within the development sector.
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