The Environment Agency Proposes Revocation of Licences
April 7, 2021
Last week the Environment Agency published a consultation on the revocation of eight abstraction licences throughout the UK. Driven by a new programme for sustainable abstraction, appropriate use of water resources and their conservation, the regulator set out the details of their
proposal.
Our James Dodds made the following comment:
“The ability of the Environment Agency to revoke unused licences has been on the cards for some time. Over the last two years they have been writing to licensees who have not used or underused their abstraction, asking whether the licences are needed or whether they would like to voluntarily revoke them. While it is unnecessary and possibly costly to keep a licence that isn’t required, and it locks away a resource that could be used in better ways, it is also common in some industries that licences are used periodically and need to be retained.
The use of statutory powers to revoke licences is an important trend that all licence holders should be aware of. The phrase ‘use it or lose it’ is more important than ever.”
Envireau Water are one of the leading independent abstraction licensing specialists in the UK, with an enviable track record in solving
abstraction licensing issues. If you have any questions or are approached regarding licence revocation contact us at
info@envireauwater.co.uk or call on
01332 871 882.
By Rachael Plant
•
October 23, 2025
As the threat of climate change continues to increase, the frequency of extreme weather events is rising across the UK. With wetter winters but warmer, drier summers expected to persist, the risk of drought will grow, creating significant challenges nationwide. While the UK climate can be unpredictable, the impact of drought is evident and cannot be ignored. Following several drought declarations and water restrictions enforced throughout 2025, farmers across the UK continue to contend with drained reservoir levels and heightened demand for irrigation, resulting in lower crop yields, fragile water sources, and growing concern about the future of British agriculture. Our team of water resource experts has been working within the agricultural industry for many years, supporting the implementation and management of sustainable water resources. We asked Principal Water Resources Specialist, Tamsin Morey , for her thoughts. Tamsin, what danger is the UK farming industry already experiencing?
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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.
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.
By Rachael Plant
•
October 23, 2025
As the threat of climate change continues to increase, the frequency of extreme weather events is rising across the UK. With wetter winters but warmer, drier summers expected to persist, the risk of drought will grow, creating significant challenges nationwide. While the UK climate can be unpredictable, the impact of drought is evident and cannot be ignored. Following several drought declarations and water restrictions enforced throughout 2025, farmers across the UK continue to contend with drained reservoir levels and heightened demand for irrigation, resulting in lower crop yields, fragile water sources, and growing concern about the future of British agriculture. Our team of water resource experts has been working within the agricultural industry for many years, supporting the implementation and management of sustainable water resources. We asked Principal Water Resources Specialist, Tamsin Morey , for her thoughts. Tamsin, what danger is the UK farming industry already experiencing?
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.
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.
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.
