The Environment Agency publish surrenders that they issue under the Industrial Emissions Directive (IED).
This decision includes the surrender letter, decision document and site condition report evaluation template for:
Lea Marston lakes were created in the 1980s to collect contaminated sediment flowing down the River Tame from Birmingham and Minworth sewage treatment works. An automatic trash screen was built to collect logs and other debris to protect the equipment used to remove the contaminated sediment. It was never installed to protect people from flooding.
Over the last 30 years water quality in the River Tame has improved dramatically, and for over 15 years there has been no need to clear the sediment. This has meant that the lakes have become a wildlife haven for birds and other animals.
The trash screen costs over £200,000 each year to run and maintain and it has now got to the end of its design life. So, as it is not providing any environmental benefit and it’s not reducing flood risk, the Environment Agency are planning to decommission it.
This will lead to further improvements in water quality; logs and other natural debris are good for healthy rivers as they create natural shallows and deep areas which is really good for fish and aquatic life.
Neil Lote, from the Environment Agency said:
We’re really pleased to see the work we’ve been doing to improve river water quality have such wide benefits. The screen isn’t reducing flood risk, and is actually acting as a barrier to further environmental improvements to the lakes and the river, so it makes sense to remove it.
After the Environment Agency remove the screen, they will be able to take more accurate measurements of water levels so their flood alerts and warnings will be more accurate as the water level won’t be artificially altered by the screen.
The Environment Agency will closely monitor the lakes and the River Tame before they totally remove the screen to make sure the river is flowing as their expert assessments have shown.
The Environment Agency proposes to transfer responsibility for flood risk management activities on some stretches of watercourses to internal drainage boards (IDBs), lead local flood authorities (LLFAs) and district councils. This means that IDBs, LLFAs and district councils can take more responsibility for their local flood risk where appropriate. The Environment Agency has worked with IDBs, LLFAs and district councils to consider proposals to re-designate some sections of watercourses. The watercourses will be re-designated from main river to ordinary watercourse – a change we refer to as de-maining.
This proposal is to re-designate a section of watercourse in the Isle of Axholme, North Lincolnshire.
This section of watercourse has a low level of flood risk to people and property, and is not associated with major rivers or major population centres. The proposal will strengthen local decision making. This helps the local IDB – the Isle of Axholme and North Nottinghamshire Water Level Management Board – to manage the stretch of watercourse and carry out works where they see fit for the benefit of local people.
This consultation explains all of the information about our proposals, including information about how the proposed section of watercourse is currently managed and funded. The consultation also provides details on future management and funding if de-maining goes ahead.
Updated: Published public feedback responses to the Isle of Axholme de-maining proposals.
The Environment Agency proposes to transfer responsibility for flood risk management activities on some stretches of watercourses to internal drainage boards (IDBs), lead local flood authorities (LLFAs) and district councils. This means that IDBs, LLFAs and district councils can take more responsibility for their local flood risk where appropriate. The Environment Agency has worked with IDBs, LLFAs and district councils to consider proposals to re-designate some sections of watercourses. The watercourses will be re-designated from main river to ordinary watercourse – a change we refer to as de-maining.
This proposal is to re-designate a section of watercourse in the Isle of Axholme, North Lincolnshire.
This section of watercourse has a low level of flood risk to people and property, and is not associated with major rivers or major population centres. The proposal will strengthen local decision making. This helps the local IDB – the Isle of Axholme and North Nottinghamshire Water Level Management Board – to manage the stretch of watercourse and carry out works where they see fit for the benefit of local people.
This consultation explains all of the information about our proposals, including information about how the proposed section of watercourse is currently managed and funded. The consultation also provides details on future management and funding if de-maining goes ahead.
The UK is a signatory to the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North East Atlantic (the ‘OSPAR Convention’). The OSPAR Convention identifies threats to the marine environment and organises programmes and measures designed to ensure effective national action to combat them. One of the key work areas of OSPAR is on radioactive substances.
The 2009 Radioactive Discharges Strategy alongside the OSPAR Radioactive Substances Strategy, aims to prevent pollution of the OSPAR maritime area (the North East Atlantic) from radiation through progressive and substantial reductions of discharges, emissions and losses of radioactive substances.
The 2018 Review shows the UK is making good progress towards achieving the outcomes in the 2009 strategy, and that the UK is contributing towards meeting the objectives of the OSPAR strategy.