Notice

Catfield, Norfolk: abstraction licences

Updated 8 May 2015

Applies to England

The Environment Agency is reviewing 2 applications to renew water abstraction licences at Catfield Norfolk on the same terms.

Background on the Catfield water abstraction licences

Both water abstractions are approximately 1 kilometre from Catfield Fen, a component of the Ant Broads and Marshes Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), The Broads Special Area of Conservation (SAC), Broadland Special Protection Area (SPA) and Broadland Ramsar.

In 2010 the Habitats Directive review of the consents process concluded that no abstractions were considered to be having an adverse effect on the Ant Broads and Marshes SSSI. If all abstractors took everything they were allowed to (apart from in drought summers when water levels are naturally low), there would be no adverse effect.

The owners of Catfield Fen first reported concerns regarding falling water levels on their land in 2008. Since this date the Environment Agency has been working with them and other interested parties to investigate firstly, what was happening to water levels on site and secondly, to establish what the potential causes of this could be. The Environment Agency’s view has historically been that there was no evidence of an adverse effect on Catfield Fen as a result of abstractions. In April 2011 the Environment Agency received notification from Natural England that after the Habitats Directive review of consents process, it was now their view from the ecological information available, that there was evidence of long term drying of Catfield Fen and it was not possible to rule out the impact of abstraction.

Since April 2011, Natural England has re-surveyed the site and used new ecological data to come to a view on its condition. Their latest advice is that the Fen is no longer considered to be drying out, but that there is evidence to suggest a change in the ecology and that the reason for this should be investigated.

Both abstraction licences were last renewed in March 2010 for a short period of 2 years to allow further monitoring data to be collected. The abstractions authorised under these licences have been in place since 1986 and 1988 and have been regularly renewed.

What’s happening

The Environment Agency’s ‘minded to’ public consultation ran from 17 November to 15 December 2015. During this time nearly 200 responses have been received and considered prior to a final decision being made. The comments received through the consultation and the Environment Agency’s response to the submissions are publicly available.

We have now reached our final decision which is to refuse the 2 applications to renew the abstraction licenses at Catfield. The decision was reached by using the best available information, advice from Natural England and additional information received during the ‘minded to’ consultation. The Environment Agency is refusing the applications because of the potential impacts that renewing both licences could have on the SSSI, SPA, SAC and Ramsar designated site.

Viewing documents

The consultation documents and all supporting information used to make this final decision are available via the Environment Agency’s mailing list. If you would like to view the documents, supporting information and previous updates you can email NPS-WR-Ipswich@environment-agency.gov.uk and we will provide you a link to download the information.

If you have further questions after reading the decision document and supporting information, you may also email us NPS-WR-Ipswich@environment-agency.gov.uk .