The Wensum Planning Group is based on the Environment Agency Wensum catchment, one of four operational catchments in the Broadland management catchment. The main settlements in the area are Dereham, Reepham and Fakenham, and land-use is dominated by arable farming and woodland. Links to the Environment Agency Broadland Abstraction Licence Strategy (ALS) and the Wensum Catchment Data Explorer page are here:
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a821229ed915d74e3401912/ALS_2017_Broadland.pdf
https://environment.data.gov.uk/catchment-planning/OperationalCatchment/3527
The Wensum catchment is underlain by Chalk and across most upland areas this is covered by deposits of Till. In areas closer to the River Wensum, the Chalk lies beneath glacial sands and gravels or is exposed. Members in this Planning Group mainly abstract surface water from rivers and streams or groundwater from the Chalk.
The River Wensum is designated a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and a Special Protection Area (SPA) and the catchment contains numerous Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), such as Beetley and Hoes Meadows and Syderstone Common. Abstraction in the lower parts of the catchment is being investigated as part of the Environment Agency Broads Plan, with further licence reductions to meet the requirements of the Habitats Directive due to be implemented in October 2028. A link to the Environment Agency Broads Plan is here:
https://engageenvironmentagency.uk.engagementhq.com/the-broads-sustainable-abstraction-plan
The Wensum catchment also contains Norfolk valley fen SSSIs which are SACs and SPAs. The condition of these is currently being assessed, with the need for licence changes to meet Habitats Regulation requirements being considered. All remaining abstractions in the catchments will be reviewed as part of the Environment Agency Catchment Permit Review process expected to be completed between 2028 & 2035.
From the National Framework for Water Resources (2025) most waterbodies in the Wensum catchment are at risk of licence reductions under current conditions. Over the period to 2050 and 2080 this risk increases, with large reductions possible in most of the Wensum catchment waterbodies.
National Framework for Water Resources 2025: Risk of licence reductions by waterbody for the Wensum Planning Group (see also NF2025 Licence Reductions.docx)
A link to the National Framework for Water Resources 2025 data is here:
https://environment.data.gov.uk/dataset/4347271e-4867-4c5a-a2ae-d4830b3eeb03
