North Worcestershire Water Management

Supporting documents

Read guidance notes

Download paper application for consent for works on an Ordinary Watercourse (pdf 144KB)

The following watercourses are (partly) classed as main Rivers:

Planning application

North Worcestershire Water Management recommends a Water Management Statement (WMS) to accompany all planning applications where water will be used and/or disposed of. Using a WMS will help ensure that all relevant aspects of flood risk and water management will be covered when applying for planning permission.

North Worcestershire Water Management is a shared District Council service covering Bromsgrove, Redditch and Wyre Forest.

As Local Planning Authorities, these District Councils have a responsibility to ensure that new developments provide suitable drainage conditions in order to avoid creating or exacerbating flood risk within their local communities. Local Planning Authorities should also ensure that the development contributes to and enhances the natural and local environment, for instance by minimising the impacts on biodiversity and water quality.

The District Councils consult North Worcestershire Water Management regularly. In addition, they are also required to consult with the relevant Water Authority, Environment Agency and Highway Authority, all of whom can advise upon attaching a variety of drainage conditions.

North Worcestershire Water Management is therefore adopting a holistic approach to land drainage and water management, considering all components of the water cycle, in order to provide economic, environmental and social benefits to local communities within North Worcestershire.

At present we do not charge for pre-application advice or consultation on the water management aspect.

We recognise that there is a wide variety of planning applications and have therefore produced two advice notes covering household applications and larger applications, offering guidance on the production of a water management statement.

Water Management Advice for household applications

Water Management Advice for larger applications

Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS)

SuDS provide a way of managing rainwater by mimicking natural drainage. It is our policy that all new developments consider the use of SuDS. For all new major development this is a national requirement. The lead Local Flood Authority is a statutory consultee on all major planning applications for surface water management. For Bromsgrove, Redditch and Wyre Forest District Councils this consultee role is fulfilled by North Worcestershire Water Management on behalf of Worcestershire County Council.

To ensure successful and affordable Sustainable Drainage Systems, they should be fully integrated with other aspects of development design from the start of the design process. North Worcestershire Water Management therefore welcomes early engagement with anyone planning development that has drainage implications.

View the SuDS guides, section 6 is for each local authority, caution large files. The following documents were published 22 March 2018 and may not be accessible to users of assistive technology. Please contact us for more information.

Bromsgrove District Council - Sustainable Drainage Systems (pdf 26610KB)

Redditch Borough Council - Sustainable Drainage Systems (pdf 26603KB)

Wyre Forest District Council - Sustainable Drainage Systems (pdf 26562KB)