OpenLegislation

Land Drainage Act 1976

1976 c. 70 · Enacted 15 November 1976 · Extends to England and Wales

Up to date with all changes known to legislation.gov.uk, revised to 27 March 2002.

An Act to consolidate certain enactments relating to land drainage.[15th November 1976]C1C2C3C4C5C6C7C8C9C10I1

Contents

  1. Part I: Introductory
  2. Water authorities
  3. 1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  4. 4. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  5. Internal drainage boards
  6. 6. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  7. Main rivers and their control
  8. 8. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  9. Transfers of functions and reorganisation of internal drainage districts
  10. 10. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  11. Review of boundaries, supervision and exercise of functions in default
  12. 14. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  13. Part II: Powers of Drainage Authorities
  14. Carrying out drainage works, etc.
  15. 17. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  16. Drainage works concerning more than one drainage authority
  17. 20. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  18. 21. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  19. Arrangements with other persons and powers as respects the obligations and rights of other persons
  20. 22. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  21. Control of obstructions in and structures in, over or under watercourses
  22. 28. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  23. Schemes for drainage of small areas
  24. 30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  25. Flood warning systems
  26. 32. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  27. Incidental powers
  28. 33. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  29. Part III: Restoration and Improvement of Ditches
  30. 40. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  31. Part IV: Raising of Revenue by Drainage Authorities
  32. Power of water authorities to require payment of their land drainage expenses by local authorities
  33. 45. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  34. Power of water authorities to raise drainage charges
  35. 48. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  36. Supplementary provisions as to drainage charges
  37. 52. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  38. Alternative basis for financing drainage expenses of water authorities
  39. 62. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  40. Power of internal drainage boards to raise drainage rates
  41. 63. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  42. 65. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  43. 67. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  44. 70. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  45. Supplementary provisions as to drainage rates
  46. 71. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  47. 73. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  48. 74. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  49. 80Section 80
  50. 81. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  51. 82. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  52. Miscellaneous revenue-raising powers
  53. 84. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  54. Interpretation of Part IV
  55. 89. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  56. Part V: Powers of the Minister and Local Authorities
  57. Powers of the Minister
  58. 90. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  59. Powers of local authorities
  60. 97. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  61. 101. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  62. 102. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  63. Part VI: Miscellaneous and General
  64. 105Provisions relating to London.
  65. 106. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  66. 116Interpretation.
  67. 117Transitional provisions, consequential amendments, repeals and saving.
  68. 118Short title, commencement and extent.
  69. Schedule 1-4: . . .
  70. Schedule 5: Provisions Relating to London
  71. Interpretation
  72. 1Paragraph 1
  73. 2Paragraph 2
  74. General provision with respect to the London excluded area
  75. 3Paragraph 3
  76. Functions of the Greater London Council with respect to the metropolitan watercourses
  77. 4Paragraph 4
  78. 5Paragraph 5
  79. 6Paragraph 6
  80. General provision with respect to the Greater London Council and the Thames Water Authority
  81. 7Paragraph 7 Repealed
  82. 8Paragraph 8 Repealed
  83. Schedule 6: . . .
  84. Schedule 7: CONSEQUENTIAL AMENDMENTS
  85. The Water Act 1973
  86. 1Paragraph 1 Repealed
  87. Other Acts
  88. 2Paragraph 2 Repealed
  89. 3Paragraph 3
  90. 4Paragraph 4 Repealed
  91. 5Paragraph 5
  92. 6Paragraph 6 Repealed
  93. 7Paragraph 7 Repealed
  94. 8Paragraph 8 Repealed
  95. Schedule 8: . . .

1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1

4. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1

6. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1

8. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1

10. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1

14. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1

17. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1

20. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1

21. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1

22. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1

28. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1

30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1

32. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1

33. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1

40. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1

45. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1

48. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1

52. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1

62. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1

63. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1

65. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1

67. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1

70. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1

71. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1

73. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1

74. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1

80

(1)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1

2)—(4)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F2

81. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1

82. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1

84. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1

89. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1

90. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1

97. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1

101. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1

102. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1

105Provisions relating to London.

Schedule 5 to this Act, which contains provisions relating to London, shall have effect.

106. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1

116Interpretation.

(1)

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires—

  • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1

  • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

  • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

  • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

  • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

  • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

  • “drainage” includes defence against water (including sea water), irrigation, other than spray irrigation, and warping;

  • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

  • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

  • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

  • “land” includes water and any interests in land or water and any easement or right in, to, or over land or water;

  • “land drainage” means the drainage of land and the provision of flood warning systems, and “land drainage functions” shall be construed accordingly;

  • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

  • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

  • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

  • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

  • [F2“London excluded area” means so much of Greater London and of any area adjoining Greater London as did not on 31st March 1986 lie, for the purpose of the exercise of land drainage functions, within the area of any water authority;]

  • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

  • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

  • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

  • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

  • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

  • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

  • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

  • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(2)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

117Transitional provisions, consequential amendments, repeals and saving.

(1)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1

(2)

The enactments mentioned in Schedule 7 to this Act shall in consequence of this Act, be amended as there provided.

(3)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(4)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F2

118Short title, commencement and extent.

(1)

This Act may be cited as the Land Drainage Act 1976.

(2)

This Act shall come into force immediately after the coming into force of the M1Land Drainage (Amendment) Act 1976.

(3)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1, this Act extends to England and Wales only.

1

(1)

In this Act, subject to any order under sub-paragraph (2) below, “the metropolitan watercourses” means—

(a)

so much of the river Thames as lies within the London excluded area, including all its associated watercourses within the flow and re-flow of its tides in that area;

(b)

the watercourses shown marked in red on the signed plan as defined in and for the purposes of Part II (Alteration of Kent River Authority area and London excluded area) of the M1Greater London Council (General Powers) Act 1968;

(c)

the river Ravensbourne, the Chaffinch Brook, the Beck River, the Pool River, the Quaggy River, the Kid Brook, the Kyd Brook and the Lower Kid Brook, and their associated watercourses;

(d)

the Beverley Brook, the river Graveney, the Pyl Brook and the river Wandle, and their associated watercourses;

(e)

the river Brent, the river Crane and the Duke of Northumberland’s river, and their associated watercourses;

(f)

any watercourse that immediately before the commencement of this Act was a metropolitan watercourse by virtue of an order under paragraph 15(2) of Schedule 14 to the M2London Government Act 1963;

and . . . F1

(2) The F2Secretary of State may, after consultation with . . . F3 the council of any district or London borough appearing to him to be affected, by order provide that—

(a)

the whole or any part of a watercourse within the London excluded area shall become a metropolitan watercourse; or

(b)

the whole or any part of a watercourse other than the tidal Thames shall cease to be a metropolitan watercourse; or

(c)

the whole or any part of a metropolitan watercourse shall become or cease to be a main metropolitan watercourse;

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(3) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any enactment or instrument, no part of any of the metropolitan watercourses shall be or form part of a public sewer.

2

In this Schedule—

  • “associated watercourse”, in relation to any river, means a tributary or other watercourse the water from which ultimately flows into, or which is directly or indirectly connected with, that river;

  • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1;

  • “flood works”, in relation to the tidal Thames, has the same meaning as in the local enactments relating thereto;

  • “the former county of London” means the area constituted by the county of London as it existed immediately before the passing of the M1London Government Act 1963 (under which the said county ceased to exist);

  • “local enactment” means—

(a)

in relation to any watercourse falling within paragraph 1(1)(a) above, the Thames River (Prevention of Floods) Acts 1879 to 1962 and section 14 of the M2London County Council (General Powers) Act 1932;

b)-(f)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

  • “the tidal Thames” means the watercourses falling within paragraph 1(1)(a) above;

  • “watercourse” includes all rivers and streams and all ditches, drains, cuts, culverts, dykes, sluices, sewers and passages through which water flows;

  • and any mention of a particular river shall not be construed as prejudicing the meaning of the expression “associated watercourse”.

3

1), (2)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1

(3) Part III of the M1Surrey County Council Act 1925 shall not apply to any area outside the London excluded area.

4

(1)

Subject to paragraph 6 below, and to any provision made by an order under section 84 or 87 of the M1London Government Act 1963—

(a)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1

(b)

the local enactments relating to so much of the tidal Thames as lies within the former county of London shall apply to the whole of the tidal Thames (as defined for the purposes of this Schedule), and in those enactments references to, or which are to be taken as references to, the county of London shall be construed as references to the London excluded area;

(c)

no functions relating to the drainage of land, flood prevention and the like matters shall (subject to paragraph 6 below) be exercisable with respect to the tidal Thames by any authority under any local statutory provisions other than the enactments mentioned in sub-paragraph (b) above.

(2) In sub-paragraph (1)(c) above “local statutory provisions” means provisions of a local Act (including an Act confirming a provisional order) or provisions of a public general Act passed with respect only to the whole or part of the former county of London or provisions of an instrument made under any such local or public general Act or of an instrument in the nature of a local enactment made under any other Act.

5C1

Subject to section 21 of the M1Metropolis Management (Thames River Prevention of Floods) Amendment Act 1879 F1the power of the Thames Water Authority under the said Act of 1879 and the other enactments relating to the tidal Thames to approve, require the execution of and execute flood works for the protection of land from flooding by the river Thames in the London excluded area shall be exercisable by them for the protection of land from flooding by such of the river’s associated watercourses as immediately before 1st April 1974 lay within the flow and re-flow of its tides in the Lee catchment area.

6

Paragraph 4 . . . F1(b) above and so much of paragraph 2 above as relates to paragraph 4 . . . (b) above shall not be construed as extending or restricting the application of any of the local enactments relating to the tidal Thames to property for the time being held for the purposes of their undertaking by the Port of London Authority or as extending or restricting the functions of that Authority.

7

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1

8

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1

1

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1

2

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1

3C1

In paragraph 1(3) of Part III of Schedule 9 to the M1 London Government Act 1963 for “Section 31(2) of the Land Drainage Act 1930” substitute “Section 29(1) of the Land Drainage Act 1976”.

4

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1

5C1

In section 3(9) of the M1 New Forest Act 1964 for “any drainage authority as defined by the Land Drainage Act 1930” substitute “any drainage body as defined by the Land Drainage Act 1976”.

6

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1

7

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1

8

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1