Licensing and Removal of Weirs Interim Case Update

Consideration of the licencing and enforcement regimes in respect of redundant weirs and structures in Scottish rivers.

Case Reference: IESS.21.015

Second Review of Progress: July 2025

 
 

Interim Case Update – Licensing and Removal of Weirs – IESS.21.015 – July 2025.pdf

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  • Biodiversity and Ecosystem Resilience
  • 22 July 2025

Background

During Environmental Standards Scotland’s (ESS’) pre-investigation work on the licencing of barriers in Scottish rivers, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) provided an implementation plan, staged across five years, indicating how barrier removal or easement of river structures would take place. The plan was developed in early 2022 by SEPA in accordance with Scotland’s Third River Basin Management Plan, which the Scottish Government laid in the Scottish Parliament in December 2021. Given that SEPA’s plan, at that point, was relatively new, ESS decided to monitor and engage with SEPA on its implementation of the various stages of the plan.

  • Biodiversity and Ecosystem Resilience
  • 22 July 2025

Case Progress

ESS requested information from SEPA in March 2025 as to the progress made towards completion of the agreed plan for 2024/25. SEPA responded in May 2025 with the progress to date and indication that further barriers additional to the total had been identified. ESS has requested clarification on a number of matters arising from SEPA’s update, including an understanding of how the additional barriers will be integrated into the barrier removal plan.

ESS’ third review of progress will be updated in due course.

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