Chichester Local Plan 2021 - 2039: Proposed Submission
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Chichester Local Plan 2021 - 2039: Proposed Submission
Policy H2 Strategic Locations/ Allocations 2021 - 2039
Representation ID: 3953
Received: 09/03/2023
Respondent: Thames Water Utilities Ltd
If any sites were to be located within the Thames Water region, a consideration to the potential impact on water and wastewater infrastructure should be included when promoting a development and provision for upgrades should be made, where required.
Thames Water are the statutory sewerage undertaker for a small part of the northern area of the District around Haslemere and are hence a “specific consultation body” in accordance with the Town & Country Planning (Local Planning) Regulations 2012
None of the strategic sites are located within the Thames Water region.
If any sites were to be located within the Thames Water region, a consideration to the potential impact on water and wastewater infrastructure should be included when promoting a development and provision for upgrades should be made, where required.
The time to deliver water/wastewater infrastructure should not be underestimated. It can take 18 months – 3 years for local upgrades and 3 – 5 years plus for more strategic solutions to be delivered. It is therefore vital that the Council and Developers work alongside Thames Water so that we can build up a detailed picture what is being built where, get confidence of when that development is going to start and what the phasing of that development will be.
To support this Thames Water offers a Free pre planning service where developer can engage Thames water to understand what if any upgrades will be needed to serve the development where and when.
Link here > https://www.thameswater.co.uk/developers/larger-scale-developments/planning-your-development/water-and-wastewater-capacity
We recommend developers attach the information we provide to their planning applications so that the Council and the wider public are assured water and waste matters for the development are being addressed.
Support noted
Object
Chichester Local Plan 2021 - 2039: Proposed Submission
Policy I1 Infrastructure Provision
Representation ID: 3954
Received: 09/03/2023
Respondent: Thames Water Utilities Ltd
Legally compliant? Not specified
Sound? No
Duty to co-operate? Not specified
Object to policy - water/wastewater infrastructure essential to any development, failure to ensure required upgrades to infrastructure network are delivered alongside development could result in adverse impacts in form of internal and external sewer flooding and pollution of land and water courses and/or low water pressure. Plan should seek to ensure there is adequate water and wastewater infrastructure to serve all new developments and include a specific policy on key issue of provision of water and sewerage/wastewater infrastructure to service development. This is necessary as it will not be possible to identify all water/sewerage infrastructure required over plan period due to the way water companies are regulated and plan in 5 year periods.
Policy I1 should be amended to include following text:
“Water Supply & Wastewater Infrastructure:
Where appropriate, planning permission for developments which result in the need for off-site upgrades, will be subject to conditions to ensure the occupation is aligned with the delivery of necessary infrastructure upgrades.”
“The Local Planning Authority will seek to ensure that there is adequate water and wastewater infrastructure to serve all new developments. Developers are encouraged to contact the water/waste water company as early as possible to discuss their development proposals and intended delivery programme to assist with identifying any potential water and wastewater network reinforcement requirements. Where there is a capacity constraint the Local Planning Authority will, where appropriate, apply phasing conditions to any approval to ensure that any necessary infrastructure upgrades are delivered ahead of the occupation of the relevant phase of development.”
See attached representation.
This text is in the Infrastructure Delivery Plan (updated April 2024) on pages 59 and 60. The IDP is referred to in paragraph 9.1 of the Local Plan.
The suggested policy amendments are too detailed for this generic policy, and point (vi) of the policy provides sufficient information to address these concerns. The policy itself also signposts to the IDP where this level of requested detail can be found.
See also Local Plan Chapter 4 section on treating wastewater, paragraphs 4.101 – 4.107 and Policy NE16
