Chichester Local Plan 2021 - 2039: Proposed Submission

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.

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.