Antrim and Newtownabbey·LDP 2030 Plan Strategy (adopted 2025)·Page 300·13.39
Artificial Modification of Watercourses - Environmental Impact
Culverting or canalising watercourses is environmentally unsustainable and adversely impacts landscape quality, ecology and biodiversity. Although culverting may alleviate local flood risk, it can increase downstream flood risk through accumulated higher flows.
The artificial modification of watercourses through culverting or canalising is widely accepted as an environmentally unsustainable practice, as such operations will often adversely impact upon the landscape quality, ecological integrity and biodiversity of our watercourses. Whilst it is recognised in some instances that culverting may alleviate local flood risk, it can nevertheless increase flood risk downstream by the accumulation of higher flows.
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