The Broads SAC - Sustainable Abstraction Plan
We are working to achieve sustainable levels of water abstraction within The Broads Special Area of Conservation (SAC), which will help to protect 28 Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs).
Water abstraction in East Anglia provides essential water for public water supply, agriculture and industry, but we know that too much abstraction, known as unsustainable abstraction, has a damaging impact on river flows and groundwater levels. Having the correct river flows and groundwater levels is essential to support healthy ecology, for enhancing natural resilience to drought, and ensuring that The Broads SAC continues to support wellbeing and recreation.
We have already investigated the impact of water abstraction on four SSSIs within the Ant Valley, which is a part of The Broads SAC. Following a judicial review in 2022, we were directed to extend our investigation to include an additional 24 SSSIs in The Broads SAC. We are now investigating all water abstraction licences within the Bure, Thurne, Yare, Waveney, Tud and part of the Wensum catchments. We have contacted all licence holders to tell them about our project and to explain that their licence might need to be changed to protect the additional 24 SSSIs.
A map showing our project consultation area and location of SSSIs with The Broads SAC.What will the licence changes be?
We cannot confirm exactly which licences will need to be changed or what those changes might look like until we have completed our modelling assessments of current water abstraction activity, and any potential increases in abstraction that existing licences might allow in the future.
From July 2025 we will inform the licence holders whose current abstraction licence has been highlighted as being unsustainable. We will let them know if their licence is to be changed and we will discuss next steps, the timescales for changes and potential mitigation measures.
In line with our previous Ant Valley investigation, examples of the licence changes which could be required include:
reducing the daily or annual abstraction quantity
adding or increasing a ‘hands-off flow’ or ‘hands-off level’ restriction to your licence
adding a fish screen to your licence
revoking (cancelling) a licence
Where can I find out more?
There is more 'Information for licence holders' and other resources available on the right hand bar.
This Engagement HQ page will be regularly updated with project news and documents.
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One-to-one discussions
We have now begun our one-to-one meetings with groundwater abstraction licence holders who have been notified they are likely to be impacted by upcoming changes required under The Broads Sustainable Abstraction Plan.
These meetings build on the information discussed in the groundwater licence holder meetings held on 1st August and are the start of ongoing one-to-one engagement with licence holders impacted by The Broads Sustainable Abstraction Plan. These meetings provide an opportunity to discuss aspects of the plan in further detail, such as the plan stages and timeline, the modelling methodology and hydrological processes.
The meetings are tailored to each licence holder and their relevant licence(s), and we can provide information that the groundwater model has given regarding potential impact of their abstraction on the Broads sites. As we are at the early stage of the investigation, whilst we will advise on the modelling outputs against a licence we are unable to confirm for certain what changes may be required.
The next stage of the plan will involve continued engagement with licence holders over the coming months to explore abstraction licence scenarios which will achieve the required hydrological objectives.
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August Licence Holder Meeting
On 1 August 2025, we hosted an informative Sustainable Abstraction licence holder event at Norwich City Football Club.
The event brought together groundwater licence holders who have been notified they are likely to be impacted by upcoming changes required under The Broads Sustainable Abstraction Plan.
Licence holders heard from the Environment Agency, Natural England and Norfolk Environment, Farming and Food who delivered insightful presentations, sparking thoughtful conversations and providing valuable updates around the development of The Broads Sustainable Abstraction Plan.
It was a great opportunity for licence holders to connect with specialists to discuss the future of water management and the environment in The Broads, to ask questions, and to better understand how and when changes could impact them.
This was just the beginning. Over the coming months, the Environment Agency will be having more in-depth, one-to-one conversations with licence holders to ensure everyone is engaged in this process and has the opportunity to discuss their circumstances in detail. We’ll be contacting them soon to arrange these meetings.
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January & February 2025 Information Sessions
In January 2025 we held two in-person Information Days in Chedgrave and Acle. We were pleased to meet over 60 people with either abstraction licences in the project consultation area, or a keen interest in the project. We discussed the plan, current project timescales, and what it all means for existing licence holders. We also discussed what licence holders can do to prepare, and advised where further support is available. For those unable to attend in person we offered online Information Sessions, which were held in February 2025.
We are currently modelling the water flows within the Broads SAC and analysing outputs. This will help us identify which water abstraction licences are unsustainable and will need changing. We will contact licence holders with unsustainable licences in May 2025.
