Notice

River Wye: proposal to vary licences to abstract water

Updated 9 April 2014

This notice was withdrawn on 15 May 2014

The consultation period for this application has ended. You can view current licences on the Public Registers.

Applies to England

The Environment Agency is proposing to vary (change) 13 Licences to abstract (take) water to protect the River Wye Special Area of Conservation, Herefordshire.

The Environment Agency is required to give notice of this proposal. The Environment Agency give this notice in line with section 52 of the Water Resources Act 1991 (as amended by section 22 of the Water Act 2003) and regulation 31 of the Water Resources (Abstraction and Impounding) Regulations 2006.

The proposal is to vary licence numbers:

• 19/55/08/0189
• 19/55/09/0029
• 19/55/09/0325
• 19/55/09/0385
• 19/55/12/0248
• 19/55/12/0745
• 19/55/12/0755
• 19/55/12/0766
• 19/55/12/0770
• 19/55/12/0772
• 19/55/12/0787
• 19/55/14/0003
• 19/55/14/0250

Licence number 19/55/08/0189 allows the licence holder

Mr R F Chilman
Combe Farm
Leominster Road
Presteigne
Powys
LD8 2HL

to abstract a maximum of 909 cubic metres (m³) of water a day, from the River Lugg between National Grid References SO 349 641 and SO 349 639, and also SO 355 638 and SO 362 639; and 545.5 m³ of water a day from the Hindwell Brook between National Grid References SO 343 633 and SO 351 636. A total of 22,730 m³ a year can be abstracted. The water can be abstracted for spray irrigation.

Licence number 19/55/09/0029 allows the licence holder

Colin Charles Andrews
Broadward Hall
Broadward
Leominster
HR6 8QG

to abstract 954.66 m³ of water a day, 19,093.2 m³ a year, from the River Arrow in Leominster at National Grid References SO 495 571, SO 500 572, SO 503 570 and SO 506 568. The water can be abstracted for spray irrigation.

Licence number 19/55/09/0325 allows the licence holder

W S Layton and Son
Ivingtonbury
Ivington
Leominster
Herefordshire
HR6 0JH

to abstract 363.7 m³ of water a day, 11,365 m³ a year, from the River Arrow at National Grid Reference SO 4703 5684 and between points SO 4746 5706 and SO 4822 5722; and the Little Arrow between National Grid References SO 4779 5686 and SO 4864 5687. The water can be abstracted for spray irrigation.

Licence number 19/55/09/0385 allows the licence holder

Hugh Willoughby Lowe
Court House
Eardisland
Leominster
Herefordshire
HR6 9BW

to abstract 545.5 m³ of water a day, 4,546 m³ a year, from the River Arrow at Eardisland at National Grid Reference SO 4261 5876. The water can be abstracted for spray irrigation.

Licence number 19/55/12/0248 allows the licence holder

R P and P T Whittal
Marley Hall Farmhouse
Staplow
Ledbury
Herefordshire
HR8 1NR

to abstract 1,027.40 m³ of water a day, 27,276 m³ a year, from the River Lugg in Sutton St Nicholas between National Grid References SO 5288 4462 and SO 5330 4384. The water can be abstracted for spray irrigation.

Licence number 19/55/12/0745 allows the licence holder

James Stewart Hawkins and Sheila Anne Hawkins
Thinghill Court
Withington
Herefordshire
HR1 3QG

to abstract 454.6 m³ of water a day, 9,092 m³ a year, from the Little Lugg in Nunnington at National Grid Reference SO 5489 4388. The water can be abstracted for spray irrigation.

Licence number 19/55/12/0755 allows the licence holder

C M Mercer
Bowley Court
Bodenham
Herefordshire
HR1 3LG

to abstract 545.53 m³ of water a day, 21,593 m³ a year, from the Humber Brook between National Grid References SO 522 528 and SO 526 534 and the River Lugg between National Grid References SO 515 533 and SO 533 524. The water can be abstracted for spray irrigation.

Licence number 19/55/12/0766 allows the licence holder

Wisteston Farms
Marden
Hereford
HR1 3ET

to abstract 708 m³ of water a day, 18,181.8 m³ a year, from the River Lugg between National Grid References SO 513 486 and SO 518 478. The water can be abstracted for spray irrigation.

Licence number 19/55/12/0770 allows the licence holder

John Pudge Price
The Day House
Kingsland
Leominster
Herefordshire
HR6 9SW

to abstract 454.6 m³ of water a day, 18,184 m³ a year, from the River Lugg in Marden between National Grid References SO 5125 5096 and SO 5102 5000. The water can be abstracted for spray irrigation.

Licence number 19/55/12/0772 allows the licence holder

George John Boyd Griffiths Burdon and Linda Rankin Burdon
Lugg Bridge Farm
Hereford
HR1 3NB

to abstract 454.6 m³ of water a day, 6,137.1 m³ a year, from the River Lugg between National Grid References SO 531 415 and SO 538 407. The water can be abstracted for spray irrigation.

Licence number 19/55/12/0787 allows the licence holder

Martin Richard Dawes
Kipperknowle Farm
Dinmore Manor Estate
Dinmore
Hereford
HR4 8EE

to abstract 454.6 m³ of water a day, 27,276 m³ a year, from the River Lugg in Wellington between National Grid References SO 5070 4973 and SO 5115 4855. The water can be abstracted for spray irrigation.

Licence number 19/55/14/0003 allows the licence holder

James Stuart Hawkins and Christopher Paul Hawkins
Thinghill Court, Withington
Hereford
HR1 3QG

to abstract 691.013 m³ of water a day, 11,365.225 m³ a year, from the River Frome at Yarkhill Court between National Grid References SO 600 421 and SO 611 426. The water can be abstracted for spray irrigation and agricultural purposes.

Licence number 19/55/14/0250 allows the licence holder

Town Farm Partnership
Knill Farm
Knill
Presteigne
Powys
LD8 2PR

to abstract 954.66 m³ of water a day, 22,730.48 m³ a year, from the River Frome at Castle Frome, Ledbury between National Grid References SO 658 465 and SO 655 455. The water can be abstracted for spray irrigation.

The proposal is to vary all 13 licences to include:

• a new condition which will stop abstraction when the flow in the River Lugg as gauged by the Environment Agency at its flow gauging station at Lugwardine at National Grid Reference SO 54871 40585 is less than 200 megalitres per day, during July to October. This hands off flow will only apply during the months that correspond to the abstraction season on each licence
• a time limit of 31 March 2027

In addition, the Environment Agency propose to add the following condition on licence numbers 19/55/12/0248, 19/55/12/0755 and 19/55/12/0766:

• No abstraction shall take place unless the Licence Holder has installed a fish screen to prevent the entrapment, entrainment or impingement of shad (adults and downstream migrating juveniles), lamprey (adults and downstream migrating juveniles) and salmon (adults and smolts) at the point(s) of abstraction

The Environment Agency also propose to modernise the licence documents and issue one licence per source of supply where appropriate. This is for administration purposes only.

The Environment Agency have made this proposal as part of a programme to help protect water supplies and improve the environment.

1. View the proposal

You can inspect a copy of the proposal and relevant documents, free of charge, at the Environment Agency office at:

Environment Agency
Riversmeet House
Newtown Industrial Estate
Northway Lane
Tewkesbury
GL20 8JG

The office is open from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday (except bank holidays).

You can also get details of the existing licences from the address above.

2. Your chance to comment

If you want to comment on this proposal, send an email to rsa.representations@environment-agency.gov.uk or write to:

Environment Agency
Restoring Sustainable Abstraction Team
Horizon House
Deanery Road
Bristol
BS1 5AH

Your email or letter must quote the relevant licence number(s) from above.

The Environment Agency must receive your comments by 7 May 2014.

If you have any questions about this notice, phone Anne Taylor on 01684 864496.