Comment

Waterbeach New Town Supplementary Planning Document

Representation ID: 167287

Received: 25/10/2018

Respondent: Anglian Water Services Ltd

Representation Summary:

6.2 INFRASTRUCTURE DELIVERY PLAN

Anglian Water support the development in principle and the proposals in the SPD. Anglian Water have engaged with all stakeholders in the development of this drainage strategy and hold regular Steering Group meetings and attend the Waterbeach Community Forums. De4tailed comments are provided on the SPD.

It is unclear when the need date for a new waste waster recycling centre is given the different building rate trajectories presented by the local authority and by the developers.

It is unclear what the overall number of dwellings the waster water recycling centre will be required to service given the different overall numbers for the development in the Local Plan, the SPD and the outline planning applications.

Full text:

This response is made for and on behalf of Anglian Water who support the development in principle and the proposals in the SPD.

Anglian Water is required to provide waste water treatment services for the new development. Potable water is provided by Cambridge Water.

There is limited further capacity within the current Water Recycling Centre ("WRC") at Waterbeach and given this and the estimated delivery time for new housing there is a need to develop an overall waste water drainage strategy.

Anglian Water have engaged with all stakeholders in the development of this drainage strategy and hold regular Steering Group meetings and attend the Waterbeach Community Forums. The Steering Group members include various employees of Anglian Water involved in the project, RLW, Urban and Civic, South Cambridgeshire District Council, The Environment Agency, The Ely Internal Drainage Board and Cambridge County Council.

The most favourable solution to the limited further capacity at the WRC has to date been the construction of a new, larger works on a relocated site of approximately 10-15 acres.

The statement made on page 125 of the SPD regarding the delivery strategy is correct in that it identifies the current further available capacity at the WRC to be approximately 500 extra dwellings and that there is the possibility to connect, on a temporary basis, to the Research Park to allow drainage for a further (approximate) 900 units. It must be noted that this capacity has not been "secured". Capacity cannot be reserved within the exiting network. In accordance with Water Industry Act 1991, connections to the exiting network are permissible on a first come, first served basis.

Anglian Water have a further comment to add to this section, namely that they are developing a further option to provide waste water drainage whilst a new works is being constructed. Capacity for a further 750 dwellings will be achieved by diverting, via a new pipeline, the existing discharge point at the WRC from the Bannolds drove IDB controlled drain, to a new discharge point in the River Cam where there is much greater dilution than the current discharge point.

Both Urban and Civic and RLW have been working closely with Anglian Water to ensure that capacity is available in the waste water network by underwriting the financing of the detailed design for the new water recycling centre. Anglian Water is funded by Ofwat on 5 yearly business plan cycles/Asset Management Period or "AMPS". The new water recycling centre will not be in a position to receive funding until after planning permission is granted and the development has legitimate planning status. The new works are listed as required within the next AMP (2019-2024). As detailed above, there are 3 options available to provide extra waste water draiange for the planned development whilst the new water recycling centre is in construction.

Anglian Water also wishes to comment on the table set out on page 145 in approaches to delivery.

Anglian Water have been designing and working towards the build out rates provided by both developers in their building trajectories for the site. These combined estimates takes the number of constructed dwelling to approximately 4,500 by 2031, considerably more than the 2,300 by 2031 suggested in the SPD.

In addition, the Local Plan suggests that the new development will accommodate up to 9000 dwellings in total, yet the two outline planning applications that have been submitted total 11,000 dwellings.

It is critical to Anglian Water to understand the number of dwellings the new water recycling centre must be designed to accommodate. Anglian Water require a degree of certainty about these numbers to ensure the correct design horizons and the appropriate funding from Ofwat at the appropriate time. If the estimates are incorrect, Anglian Water could be over sizing a waste water recycling centre or delivering a works before it is needed. The most accurate number of dwellings and their estimated delivery date should be included within the SPD to establish the correct need date and the correct overall waste water drainage strategy. If this is not possible, a restricted number of properties should be permitted within a defined phasing programme.

Anglian Water would wish to ensure that water re-use and SUDS schemes are promoted wherever possible within the SPD. Whilst Anglian Water cannot enforce either of these options and are not responsible for their implementation or long term maintenance, as part of a long term resilience plan and environmental advanced development, Anglian Water would wish to see more details of how the two developers can deliver these options reflected within the SPD.