Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the Director of Strategy, Performance and Governance (copy enclosed).

The Committee considered the report of the Director of Strategy, Performance and Governance presenting the Council’s response to the Essex County Council (ECC) Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) Design Guide Update.  It was noted that due to the consultation period this response had been sent to the County Council following approval by the Chairman of this Committee and in accordance with the Council’s Terms of Reference was now reported to the Committee.

It was noted that ECC had requested this Council review the updated guide attaching the ECC SuDS Design Guide Update document (Appendix 1 to the report) and Consultation Questionnaire (Appendix 2).  The report set out the purpose of the review and the Council’s response to the Consultation Questionnaire.

Councillor R G Boyce proposed that the Committee’s thanks be passed to Ms Longman, Specialist – Local Plan for her work and that the recommendation as set out in the report be agreed.  This proposal was duly seconded.

It was commented how beneficial it would be when considering planning applications to have Sustainable Drainage System (SUDs) documents available to provide further guidance and information rather than being addressed through conditions.  The current problems for Members with such documents being required (through conditions) and not at the time an application was being considered were discussed and highlighted.  The Officer explained through the consultation response the Council was expressing the importance of knowing exactly what a drainage strategy was and the benefits of receiving it as part of the outline application stage.  The Chairman advised that this was something that would be highlighted further as part of the response.

In response to further questions from Members, Officers provided Members with additional information including:

·                 Members’ attention was drawn to page 67 of the document pack (Appendix 1 to this report) which set out what documents were required by the Lead Local Flood Authority and at what stage of the application process they were required.  It was noted that this would replace the need to condition requirements for some documents as part of planning approvals.

·                 In response to a question regard the meaning of “preliminary layout drawings showing exceeding routing, and location of discharge points’ in the what we require and when table of the appendix, the Officer advised this was to do with flows but would seek further clarification for Members.

·                 It was clarified that no existing issues relating to, for example flooding, could be resolved directly as a result of a new planning application as conditions etc. could only deal with mitigating the impact from the new development.  The Director of Strategy, Performance and Governance reported that there were several Flood Alleviation Schemes in development and provided an update in respect of Heybridge.

·                 The Council was no longer eligible for Housing Infrastructure Funds and the Director of Strategy, Performance and Governance outlined the reasons for this.

The chairman then put the proposal in the name of Councillor Boyce advising that Members’ comments would be added to the appropriate response from Officers.  This was  ...  view the full minutes text for item 275