The Boston Alternative Energy Facility Order 2023

PART 5 FOR THE PROTECTION OF DRAINAGE AUTHORITIES

48.  The provisions of this Part have effect for the protection of the drainage authority unless otherwise agreed in writing between the undertaker and the drainage authority.

49.  In this Part of this Schedule—

“construction includes execution, placing, altering, replacing, relaying and removal; and “construct” and “constructed” must be construed accordingly;

“drainage authority” means in relation to an ordinary watercourse, the drainage board concerned within the meaning of section 23 (prohibition on obstructions etc. in watercourses) of the Land Drainage Act 1991(1);

“drainage work” means any ordinary watercourse and includes any bank, wall, embankment or other structure, or any appliance, constructed or used for land drainage or flood defence in connection with an ordinary watercourse which is the responsibility of the drainage authority;

“ordinary watercourse” has the meaning given by section 72 (interpretation) of the Land Drainage Act 1991;

“plans” includes any information reasonably required by the drainage authority including location details, grid references, sections, drawings, specifications, assessments and method statements;

“specified work” means any of the following works carried out in relation to any ordinary watercourse—

(a)

erecting any mill dam, weir or other similar obstruction to the flow of the watercourse, or raising or otherwise altering any such obstruction;

(b)

the construction or alteration of a bridge or other structure;

(c)

erecting a culvert in the watercourse; or

(d)

altering a culvert in a manner that would be likely to affect the flow of the watercourse.

50.—(1) Before commencing construction of a specified work, the undertaker must submit to the drainage authority plans of the specified work and such further particulars available to it as the drainage authority may within 14 days of the submission of the plans reasonably request.

(2) The undertaker must not commence construction of the specified work until approval, unconditionally or conditionally, has been given as provided in this paragraph.

(3) A specified work must not be constructed except in accordance with such plans as may be approved in writing by the drainage authority or determined under paragraph 58.

(4) Any approval of the drainage authority required under this paragraph—

(a) must not be unreasonably withheld or delayed;

(b) is deemed to have been given if it is neither given nor refused within 28 days of the submission of the plans for approval, or submission of further particulars (where required by the drainage authority under sub-paragraph (1)) whichever is the later; and

(c) may be given subject to such reasonable requirements as the drainage authority may make for the protection of any drainage work, ordinary watercourse or for the prevention of flooding.

(5) Any refusal under this paragraph must be accompanied by a statement of the reasons for refusal.

51.  Without limiting paragraph 50, the requirements which the drainage authority may make under that paragraph include conditions requiring the undertaker at its own expense to construct such protective works, whether temporary or permanent, during the construction of the specified work (including the provision of flood banks, walls or embankments or other new works and the strengthening, repair or renewal of existing banks, walls or embankments) as are reasonably necessary—

(a) to safeguard any drainage work against damage by reason of any specified work; or

(b) to secure that the efficiency of any drainage work for flood defence and land drainage purposes is not impaired, and that the risk of flooding is not otherwise increased, by reason of any specified work.

52.—(1) Subject to sub-paragraph (2), any specified work, and all protective works required by the drainage authority under paragraph 50, must be constructed—

(a) without unreasonable delay in accordance with the plans approved or deemed to have been approved or settled under this Part of this Schedule; and

(b) to the reasonable satisfaction of the drainage authority, and an officer of the drainage authority is entitled to watch and inspect the construction of such works at all reasonable times and on reasonable notice.

(2) The undertaker must give to the drainage authority—

(a) not less than 14 days’ notice in writing of its intention to commence construction of any specified work; and

(b) notice in writing of its completion not later than 7 days after the date of completion.

(3) If the drainage authority reasonably requires, the undertaker must construct all or part of the protective works so that they are in place before the construction of the specified work to which the protective works relate.

(4) If any part of a specified work or any protective work required by the drainage authority is constructed otherwise than in accordance with the requirements of this Part of this Schedule, the drainage authority may by notice in writing require the undertaker at the undertaker’s expense to comply with the requirements of this Part of this Schedule or (if the undertaker so elects and the drainage authority in writing consents, such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) to remove, alter or pull down the work and, where removal is agreed, to restore the site to its former condition to such extent and within such limits as the drainage authority reasonably requires.

(5) Subject to sub-paragraph (6), if within a reasonable period, being not less than 28 days from the date when a notice under sub-paragraph (4) is served on the undertaker, the undertaker has failed to begin taking steps to comply with the requirements of the notice and subsequently to make reasonably expeditious progress towards their implementation, the drainage authority may execute the works specified in the notice and any reasonable expenditure incurred by it in so doing is recoverable from the undertaker.

(6) In the event of any dispute as to whether sub-paragraph (4) is properly applicable to any work in respect of which notice has been served under that sub-paragraph, or as to the reasonableness of any requirement of such a notice, the drainage authority must not except in an emergency exercise the powers conferred by sub-paragraph (5) until the dispute has been finally determined in accordance with paragraph 58.

53.—(1) Subject to sub-paragraph (5), the undertaker must from the commencement of the construction of the specified work until the date falling 12 months from the date of completion of the specified work maintain in good repair and condition and free from obstruction any drainage work which is situated within the limits of deviation on land held by the undertaker for the purpose of or in connection with the specified work, whether or not the drainage work is constructed under the powers conferred by this Order or is already in existence.

(2) If any drainage work which the undertaker is liable to maintain is not maintained to the reasonable satisfaction of the drainage authority, the drainage authority may by notice in writing require the undertaker to repair and restore the work, or any part of the work, or (if the undertaker so elects and the drainage authority in writing consents, such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed), to remove the specified work and restore the site to its former condition, to such extent and within such limits as the drainage authority reasonably requires.

(3) Subject to sub-paragraph (4) and paragraphs 55 and 56 if, within a reasonable period being not less than 28 days beginning with the date on which a notice in respect of any drainage work is served under sub-paragraph (2) on the undertaker, the undertaker has failed to begin taking steps to comply with the reasonable requirements of the notice and has not subsequently made reasonably expeditious progress towards their implementation, the drainage authority may do what is reasonably necessary for such compliance and may recover any reasonable expenditure reasonably incurred by it in so doing from the undertaker.

(4) In the event of any dispute as to the reasonableness of any requirement of a notice served under sub-paragraph (2), the drainage authority must not except in a case of emergency exercise the powers conferred by sub-paragraph (3) until the dispute has been finally determined in accordance with paragraph 58.

(5) This paragraph does not apply to—

(a) drainage works which are vested in the drainage authority, or which the drainage authority or another person is liable to maintain and is not prevented by this Order from so doing; and

(b) any obstruction of a drainage work for the purpose of a work or operation authorised by this Order and carried out in accordance with the provisions of this Part of this Schedule provided that any obstruction is removed as soon as reasonably practicable.

54.  Subject to paragraphs 55 and 56 and sub-paragraph 53(5)(b), if, by reason of the construction of a specified work or of the failure of any such work the efficiency of any drainage work for flood defence purposes or land drainage is impaired, or that drainage work is otherwise damaged, such impairment or damage must be made good by the undertaker as soon as reasonably practicable to the reasonable satisfaction of the drainage authority and, if the undertaker fails to do so, the drainage authority may make good the impairment or damage and recover from the undertaker the expense reasonably incurred by it in doing so.

55.  The undertaker must make reasonable compensation for costs, charges and expenses which the drainage authority may reasonably incur in—

(a) the examination or approval of plans under this Part of this Schedule; and

(b) inspecting the construction of the specified work or any protective works required by the drainage authority under this Part of this Schedule; and

(c) subject at all times to receiving the prior written approval of the undertaker, in carrying out any surveys or tests by the drainage authority which are reasonably required in connection with the construction of the specified work.

56.—(1) Without limiting the other provisions of this Part, the undertaker must make reasonable compensation to the drainage authority from all claims, demands, proceedings, costs, damages, expenses or loss, which may be made or taken against, recovered from, or incurred by, the drainage authority by reason of—

(a) any damage to any drainage work;

(b) any raising or lowering of the water table in land adjoining the authorised project or any sewers, drains and watercourses; or

(c) any flooding or increased flooding of any such lands,

caused by the construction of any specified work or any act or omission of the undertaker, its contractors, agents or employees whilst engaged on the specified work.

(2) The drainage authority must give to the undertaker reasonable notice of any such claim or demand, and no settlement or compromise may be made without the agreement of the undertaker which agreement must not be unreasonably withheld or delayed.

(3) The fact that any act or thing may have been done by the drainage authority on behalf of the undertaker or in accordance with a plan approved or deemed to have been approved by the drainage authority or in accordance with any requirement of the drainage authority or under its supervision does not, subject to sub-paragraph (4), excuse the undertaker from liability under the provisions of sub-paragraph (1) unless the drainage authority fails to carry out and execute the works properly with due care and attention and in a skilful and professional like manner or in a manner that does not accord with the approved plan.

(4) Nothing in sub-paragraph (1) imposes any liability on the undertaker with respect to any damage or loss to the extent that it is attributable to the act, neglect or default of the drainage authority, its officers, servants, contractors or agents.

57.  The fact that any work or thing has been executed or done by the undertaker in accordance with a plan approved or deemed to be approved by the drainage authority or to its satisfaction does not (in the absence of negligence on the part of the drainage authority, its officers, contractors or agents), relieve the undertaker from any liability under this Part.

58.  Any dispute arising between the undertaker and the drainage authority under this Part is to be determined by arbitration under article 49 (arbitration).

(1)

1991 c. 59.