A HEREFORDSHIRE farmer has been charged over work he is said to have carried out to the river Lugg.
Natural England and the Environment Agency have revealed they have launched joint legal action in response to suspected damage in Kingsland, near Leominster.
Banks of the River Lugg were damaged in November 2020, allegedly causing significant and long-term ecological harm.
The agencies say that because the area is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), it means permissions need to be granted before work can take place.
Work 'likely to cause damage' or 'endanger' river
John Price, of Day House Farm in Kingsland, faces a number of charges in relation to the work, including carrying out unauthorised activities such as removing silt and gravels from the bed and felling trees.
The charges being brought against landowner John Price relate to:
- Unconsented operations and causing damage to a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
- Carrying out activities within 8m of the River Lugg which were likely to cause damage to or endanger the stability of the river.
- Causing a water discharge activity, namely a discharge of silt into the River Lugg.
- Failing to take reasonable precaution to prevent agricultural pollution from land management and cultivation practices on agricultural land.
- Wilfully disturbing spawn or spawning fish, or any bed, bank or shallow on which any spawn or spawning fish may be.
- Breach of a stop notice.
It follows a joint Natural England and Environment Agency in-depth investigation into suspected ecological harm to the 1.5km of the protected stretch of the river Lugg.
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This investigation followed reports of unauthorised activity including dredging and changing the shape (profiling) of the riverbank in December 2020.
Court action will now follow at Kidderminster Magistrates’ Court, with a hearing set for May 18.
More to follow.
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