| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 1981 | Royal Docks close. Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980: Planning powers of London Boroughs of Newham, Southwark and Tower Hamlets transferred to the London Docklands Development Corporation (LDDC) (commercial sale and redevelopment). Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 introduced new responsibilities for Regional Water Authorities for nature conservation (Section 48). Sanctuary Areas designated under the Protection of Birds Acts 1954 upgraded to Areas of Special Protection (AoSPs); AONBs, SSSI, NNRs modified (from 1949 legislation); provided for the creation of statutory Marine Nature Reserves (MNRs) in England, Scotland, Wales. Transport Act 1981: abolished the National Ports Council (NPC). |
| 1983 | Water Act 1983 abolishes statutory local authority membership of Regional Water Authorities (including TWA). Dissolves National Water Council and Water Space Amenity Commission. Proposals for abolition of GLC and other metropolitan counties set out in Government White Paper: Department of the Environment, Streamlining the Cities: Government Proposals for Reorganising Local Government in Greater London and the Metropolitan Counties. Cmnd 9063. (London: HMSO, 1983). World Commission on Environment and Development (Brundtland Commission) convened by United Nations. Reported 1987. |
| 1984 | GLC's Thames Barrier official opening. |
| 1985/86 | Local Government Act 1985 abolishes GLC (with effect from 1 April 1986). Thames Barrier and Flood Prevention Act 1972 (Amendment) Order 1986 transfers responsibility for Thames Barrier to the Thames Water Authority (TWA). Local Government Act 1985 (Land Drainage Functions) Order 1986 transfers the GLC's land drainage functions in the 'London Excluded Area' to TWA. TWA's Regional Land Drainage Committee reconstituted to include Thames, Lee and 'London Excluded Area'. Thames piers and Thames recreational functions within Greater London transferred to TWA. EC Environmental Impact Assessment Directive (EIA) (85/337/EEC). |
| 1987 | Our Common Future: Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development (1987) (Bruntlandt Commission Report). Thames Path designated a National Trail. |
| 1989 | Water Act 1989 privatises water industry in England and Wales. TWA becomes Thames Water Utilities Ltd (responsible for water supply and sewerage). Thames piers transferred to PLA. OFWAT created as economic water regulator (Water Services Regulation Authority). National Rivers Authority set up as environmental regulator (responsible for pollution control and conservancy for River Thames, and navigation for non-tidal Thames). Regional Flood Defence Committees replace Regional Land Drainage Committees. |
| 1990 | Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) established as regulator for drinking water quality in England and Wales. Environmental Protection Act 1990. Click here for Environment Agency outline of waste legislation, including EPA 1990. The Act splits NCC split into three for England, Wales and Scotland ('English Nature' in England); non-statutory Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) established for the three nations. Town and Country Planning Act 1990 includes 'Section 106' provision, which allows 'a local planning authority to enter into a legally-binding agreement or planning obligation with a landowner, or persons who intend to develop that land, in association with the granting of planning permission. These planning obligations are intended to deliver or address matters that are necessary to make a development acceptable in planning terms.' Third International Conference on the Protection of the North Sea, The Hague (Governments of Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, The Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and UK). UK agrees to end marine disposal of sewage sludge (by 1998). |
| 1991 | EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive. Nitrates Directive 91/676/EEC. Water Resources Act 1991. Water Industry Act 1991. Ports Act 1991 allows for privatisation of ports. |
| 1992 | Port of Tilbury privatised by PLA. UN Conference on Environment and Development, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (1992) (Rio Earth Summit). International focus on governance and biodiversity. Agenda 21 voluntary action plan for sustainable development agreed (see also Local Agenda 21 for local action). EU Habitats Directive provides for designation of Special Protection Areas (SPAs). SPAs and SACs (1979 Birds Directive) constitute the EU-wide Natura 2000 network. Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic (OSPAR Convention) (in force from 1998). |
| 1994 | The Urban Waste Water Treatment (England and Wales) Regulations 1994 follows EU Urban Waste Water Directive 1991. |
| 1995-96 | Environment Act 1995 establishes Environment Agency (EA), which absorbs National Rivers Authority. Thames Path opens. |
| 1997 | Environmental Impact Assessment Directive (1997/2003/2011). |
| 1998 | London Docklands Development Corporation dissolved (work in Royal Docks transferred to English Partnerships). Thames Estuary Partnership formed (coastal partnership for stakeholders bodies) Thames21 set up (jointly by Thames Clean and PLA) to manage rubbish on tidal river. Aarhus Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-Making And Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (1998). EU Directive on the Quality of Water intended for Human Consumption (1998). Thames sewage sludge boat transports end as UK discontinues marine disposal of sewage sludge (in line with Third International Conference on the Protection of the North Sea, The Hague). |
| 1999-2000 | Greater London Authority Act 1999 establishes Greater London Authority (GLA), Mayor for London and Greater London Assembly (effective from 2000). Transport for London established as part of the GLA; some London piers transferred to London River Services (part of Transport for London from 2000). |
| 2000 | EU Water Framework Directive (WFD: 2000) sets targets for environmental quality of water bodies and requires each river basin district to produce a River Basin Management Plan. Environment Agency 'Introduction to Water Framework Directive'.) Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 (in England and Wales). Thames Tideway Strategic Study Group established (Chair: Prof Chris Binnie), comprised of EA, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), GLA, Thames Water, and Ofwat as observer. Examines impacts of the Thames 'main drainage' storm sewers (aka Combined Sewer Overflows/CSOs) and consider solutions to river pollution. |
| 2003 | Water Act 2003. Water UK site on water legislation. Establishes Consumer Council for Water (from 2005). Water companies required to produce 'Water Resources Management Plan' every five years. |
| 2004 | GLA Mayor's London Plan includes strategy for London's rivers and waterways (including the Blue Ribbon Network). Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (abolishes county level Structure Plans). |
| 2005 | Consumer Council for Water (CCW) established as watchdog for water consumers (replaces OFWAT's WaterVoice). Thames Tideway Strategic Study, Solutions Working Group Report, Vol 1 (Feb 2005) reports on options for addressing problem of Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs) on River Thames (London Tideway Improvements), including current Thames Tideway Tunnel plan. |
| 2006 | London Waterways Commission set up by Mayor of London (Greater London Authority) to advise on waterways policy. EU New Groundwater Directive (2006). EU Waste Framework Directive 2008 (revised 2006 Directive).Natural Environment and Rural Communities (NERC) Act 2006 dissolves English Nature and Countryside Agency. Functions transferred to newly established Natural England. Reconstitution of Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) as a statutory body (representing nature conservation agencies of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland). |
| 2007 | EU Floods Directive. (Click here for Environment Agency webpage on Flood Risk). EA to oversee production of Flood Risk Management Plans by 2015. The Marine Works (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2007. |
| 2008 | EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (leads to 2009 legislation in UK). EU Waste Framework Directive 2008 (revised 2006 Directive). The Pitt Review - Lessons Learned from the 2007 Summer Floods published. Planning Act 2008 establishes Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC) for England and Wales for 'nationally significant infrastructure projects'. |
| 2009 | Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 (provides for EU directive of 2009): Marine Management Organisation (MMO) to be set up (2010) (Lead department: Dept for Transport). Oversees environmental remit of ports; provides for the establishment of 'Marine Conservation Zones', one of six designations constituting a network of Marine Protected Areas (e.g. alongside marine Natura 2000 and Ramsar sites) in English and Welsh inshore and UK offshore waters; MPAs replace MNRs of 1981 legislation. |
| 2010 | River Thames wins Thiess International Riverprize 2010, entered by Environment Agency. Part of prize money goes to twinning project with River Ganges in India. Flood and Water Management Act 2010 (click here for more information from EA website). |
| 2011 | Localism Act 2011 replaces the IPC with Planning Inspectorate. Report of the Thames Tunnel Commission (October 2011) (Chair: Lord Selborne). Independent report commissioned by London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham and others. Calls for re-assessment of Thames Tideway Tunnel and recommends higher priority for 'sustainable drainage systems' (SuDS). |
| 2012 | EU Court of Justice finds UK in breach of 1991 EU Urban Waste Water Directive for storm overflows on River Thames (and for Whitburn, South Tyneside) (Oct. 2012). Click here for EU Judgement and here for a BBC report. |
| 2013 | Thames Water submit 50,000-page planning consent application for Thames Tideway Tunnel to Planning Inspectorate (March 2013). London Gateway Port (DP World) opens on site of former Shell haven oil refinery. |
| 2013-14 | 2013-14 Water Bill. From Parliament website: 'To make provision about the water industry; about compensation for modification of licences to abstract water; about main river maps; about records of waterworks; for the regulation of the water environment; about the provision of flood insurance for household premises; about internal drainage boards; about Regional Flood and Coastal Committees; and for connected purposes.' Severe winter storms cause coastal, fluvial and groundwater floods in Thames region and other parts of England and Wales. |