Water Resources Act 1991

Revocation of consents and alteration and imposition of conditions

6 (1) It shall be the duty of the Authority to review from time to time the consents given under paragraphs 2 and 5 above and the conditions (if any) to which the consents are subject.

(2) Subject to such restrictions on the exercise of the power conferred by this sub-paragraph as are imposed under paragraph 7 below, where the Authority has reviewed a consent under this paragraph, it may by a notice served on the person making a discharge in pursuance of the consent—

(a) revoke the consent;

(b) make modifications of the conditions of the consent; or

(c) in the case of an unconditional consent, provide that it shall be subject to such conditions as may be specified in the notice.

(3) If on a review under sub-paragraph (1) above it appears to the Authority that no discharge has been made in pursuance of the consent to which the review relates at any time during the preceding twelve months, the Authority may revoke the consent by a notice served on the owner or occupier of the land from which discharges would be made in pursuance of the consent.

(4) If it appears to the Secretary of State appropriate to do so—

(a) for the purpose of enabling Her Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom to give effect to any Community obligation or to any international agreement to which the United Kingdom is for the time being a party;

(b) for the protection of public health or of flora and fauna dependent on an aquatic environment; or

(c) in consequence of any representations or objections made to him or otherwise,

he may, subject to such restrictions on the exercise of the power conferred by virtue of paragraph (c) above as are imposed under paragraph 7 below, at any time direct the Authority, in relation to a consent given under paragraph 2 or 5 above, to do anything mentioned in sub-paragraph (2)(a) to (c) above.

(5) The Authority shall be liable to pay compensation to any person in respect of any loss or damage sustained by that person as a result of the Authority’s compliance with a direction given in relation to any consent by virtue of sub-paragraph (4)(b) above if—

(a) in complying with that direction the Authority does anything which, apart from that direction, it would be precluded from doing by a restriction imposed under paragraph 7 below; and

(b) the direction is not shown to have been given in consequence of—

(i) a change of circumstances which could not reasonably have been foreseen at the beginning of the period to which the restriction relates; or

(ii) consideration by the Secretary of State of material information which was not reasonably available to the Authority at the beginning of that period.

(6) For the purposes of sub-paragraph (5) above information is material, in relation to a consent, if it relates to any discharge made or to be made by virtue of the consent, to the interaction of any such discharge with any other discharge or to the combined effect of the matter discharged and any other matter.