Flood risk activities: charges for permits from 1 April 2016

The current £50 charge for a flood defence consent has been in place since 1991, but does not cover the Environment Agency’s costs to provide this service.

The government expects to move the current consenting process in to Environmental Permitting Regulations from April 2016, subject to Parliamentary approval. This change in regulation will enable the Environment Agency to revise the charges and to improve the service.

The proposal is for:

• an application charge of £170 for one activity
• an additional charge of £40 for each subsequent activity on the same application
• a charge of £70 for a compliance check