Southend Central Area Action Plan & Proposals Map - Proposed Submission

9. Infrastructure Provision and Flood Risk

9.1 Context

303. New development, redevelopment and the intensification of existing activities and uses can all generate additional demand for services or works, including roads and improved access, community and health facilities and utilities. This AAP proposes significant new development, commensurate with the Central area’s physical capacity and role as a sub-regional centre and additional infrastructure may be required to support this growth.

304. Inadequate infrastructure can result in unacceptable impact on the environment, through sewage flooding of residential and commercial property, pollution of land and watercourses plus water shortages with associated low water pressure. In accordance with national policy and objectives for this AAP, the Council will work with service providers and identify requirements for any new infrastructure and services, so that such provision can be properly planned for, funded and programmed. The Council recognises the need to ensure that the proposals in this AAP are not compromised by unrealistic expectations about the future availability of social, transport and utilities infrastructure and resources.

305. The AAP relies both on the provision of school places in existing schools in the areas surrounding the Town Centre for current forecast demands, for which capacity has been identified. Future need based on growth will require a new Primary School during the lifetime of this plan (Policy DP9). The provision of enlarged /replacement primary health care centre/s are being positively pursued with Health Care partners and potential locations are being considered within the Victoria Gateway Neighbourhood (Policies DS9 and PS 9a). Consideration of such a facility within the Town Centre is also considered as part of this Plan. The provision of enhanced faith, community and voluntary sector facilities (Policy DS7) has been identified in this AAP so that they can continue to meet local needs and assist in increasing the scale and scope of their service delivery. Transport infrastructure is dealt with in Section 8 of this Plan.

9.2 Central Area Infrastructure

306. In respect of water supply, drainage and sewerage infrastructure, The Essex Thames Gateway Water Cycle Study - Scoping Study Final Report in March 2009 and engagement with Essex and Suffolk Water and Anglia Water Services has identified a need for investigations to establish infrastructure requirements and the impact of development proposed in this AAP on the existing network. Associated studies and upgrading of the network may be required, which may need to be funded by developers. Developers will need to assess the waste water capacity both on and off the site to serve new development and demonstrate that proposals will not lead to overloading of existing waste water infrastructure and problems for existing or new users. New development will require separate foul and surface water drainage/sewerage, as drainage of surface water to foul sewers is a major contributor to sewer flooding. Provision should be made for surface water to drain to SuDS systems. In terms of water supply, developers will be required to pay for any mains diversions and new off-site infrastructure resulting from development proposals.

307. For individual development schemes, developers need to contact Anglia Water at an early stage to discuss sewerage and sewage treatment, available capacity and infrastructure requirements to ensure that these essential services are provided effectively. The Council is currently undertaking a Water Cycle Study that will inform further the delivery of the proposals in this Plan.

308. Town centre activities generate significant amounts of waste and the challenge of managing waste in a sustainable way in the future is considerable. The Council adopted a Waste Strategy 2004 covering the period up to 2020 that sets out the framework and criteria for decisions to reduce waste and meet waste targets over a long timescale. The Council is preparing a Joint Waste DPD with Essex County Council. Development proposals should include appropriate facilities to minimise waste and maximise recycling.

9.3 S106 Planning Obligations and Developer Contributions

309. The Council will enter into negotiations with applicants for planning permission and prospective developers to seek the provision of facilities, or a contribution towards the full cost of requirements made necessary by and related to the proposed development, that is fairly and reasonably related in scale and kind to the proposed development and its impact on the wider area. Further guidance is provided in the Council’s ‘Planning Obligations: A Guide to Section 106 and Developer Contributions’ SPD on the Council’s approach to planning obligations and developer contributions across the Borough. Such improvements to facilities or the environment may include: access, public transport, walking, cycling and car park improvements; safety and security measures; public realm, open space and environmental improvements; public art; learning and skills; healthcare facilities and services; education, community and voluntary sector facilities; children’s play and childcare provision; and utilities infrastructure. Core Strategy Policy DP8 Dwelling Provision’ and Policy DS8 of this Plan set out the Council’s requirements with regard to Affordable Housing provision in all housing schemes within the Central Area.

9.4 Flood Risk Management

310. The Southend-on-Sea administrative area has been identified by the Environment Agency’s high level pluvial flood modelling to be susceptible to local flooding under conditions of extreme rainfall. This has been confirmed by intermediate level modelling carried out in association with the emerging Southend Surface Water Management Plan (SWMP) and Preliminary Flood Risk Assessment (PFRA). In addition areas of the Borough are at risk from tidal and fluvial flooding as demonstrated in the Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA). The PFRA also concluded that some areas are at moderate risk of groundwater flooding.

311. As a consequence of the present levels of known flood risk and in accordance with the Floods and Water Management Act 2010 (FWMA), where applicable, modifications are required to the existing development zoning guidance and to the pluvial drainage requirements for all development.

9.4.1 Sustainable Drainage

312. A major section of the FWMA deals with sustainable drainage systems (SuDS). SuDS, when properly designed, provide benefits in reducing the rate and quantity of surface run-off while substantially improving its quality. Over a large catchment, such reductions will combine to substantially reduce the flood risk to downstream areas.

313. Southend-on-Sea Borough Council, as a Unitary Authority, is, by virtue of the FWMA, a Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA), and on commencement of the SuDS section (expected April 2012) will be required:-

• to promote use of SuDS in its area;
• to assume the role of SuDS Approval Body (SAB), and require submission of SuDS designs for checking and approval; and
• to adopt approved and properly constructed SuDS systems for developments above single property level, for maintenance.

314. SuDS, designed in accordance with the SuDS Manual published by CIRIA, (which may be modified by forthcoming National Standards) will henceforth be required to deal with surface water drainage under the following conditions:-

• For extensions and other single property developments with surface drainage implications, all new impermeable area shall be drained via SuDS. The system must receive approval from the SAB before construction is commenced but the owner or developer will remain responsible for maintaining the system in good working order.
• For developments above single property scale, all new impermeable areas shall be drained via SuDS. The system must receive approval from the SAB before construction is commenced and once satisfied that it has been constructed to appropriate standard, the SAB will adopt it for maintenance.

315. The design target will be to limit the discharge of the site run-off to green-field levels, that is the natural rate of discharge from the site prior to all development. It may be found that this standard is not achievable, but any derogation will have to be approved by the organisation managing the receiving water system. For main rivers this will be the Environment Agency; for ordinary watercourses, the LLFA and for public surface water sewers, Anglian Water Services.

316. Developers are encouraged to consider the layout of their SuDS proposals before any other site masterplanning is undertaken, and to discuss them with the LLFA, because SuDS have specific requirements in respect of positioning of the several elements within the site.

9.4.2 Development in Flood Risk Areas

317. In order to reduce the level of overall flood risk in the Borough over time, areas at risk of local surface flooding and groundwater flooding will be identified and will supplement those areas highlighted by Environment Agency (EA) as at risk of tidal or fluvial flooding. Such areas will be graded by the same criteria as EA’s flood zones and shall be treated on an equal basis as those zones when considering the appropriateness of the various divisions of development type as set out in PPS25. For the purposes of such assessments, flood hazard, that is the combination of flood depth with flow velocity will have the same importance as in PPS25 and sites will be subjected to the sequential and exceptions tests as set out in the Supplement. Flood Risk Assessments will be required to accompany planning applications, for the consideration of the LLFA in areas of Local Flood Risk.

318. Material considerations in Flood Risk Assessments (FRAs) will include:-

• Flood frequency
• Flood hazard
• Sensitivity of the development
• Access and egress
• Water compatibility of the development
• Degree of flood resilience of the development