`five acres` at land west of poore street, wicken

Transcription

FIVE ACRES LOCAL COMMUNITY ACTION (FALCA)
WARD
HOMES
‘FIVE ACRES’ AT LAND WEST OF POORE STREET,
WICKEN BONHUNT, ESSEX
FLOOD RISK APPRAISAL
REPORT REF. V990-01D
PROJECT NO. V990
JANUARY 2015
‘FIVE ACRES’ AT LAND WEST OF POORE STREET,
WICKEN BONHUNT, ESSEX
Ardent Consulting Engineers
Suite 207
One Alie Street
LONDON
E1 8DE
Tel: 0207 680 4088
Fax: 0207 488 3736
[email protected]
REPORT REF. V990-01D
PROJECT NO. V990
JANUARY 2015
‘FIVE ACRES’ AT LAND WEST OF POORE STREET, WICKEN BONHUNT
V990-01D
JANUARY 2015
CONTENTS
Page
1.0 INTRODUCTION
2 2.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
4 3.0 BASELINE PARAMETERS
6 Existing Site
6 4.0 SURFACE WATER DRAINAGE
8 Flood Risk Assessment
8 Flood Risk Policy
10 5.0 SUMMARY
16 FIGURES
Figure 1
Site’s Location
Figure 2
Aerial Photograph
Figure 3
Indicative Floodplain Extent
Figure 4
Extent of Surface Water Flooding
Figure 5
Floodwater Encroachment into Five Acre Site
Figure 6
Flood Warning Areas
Figure 7
Photographic Records of Recent Flooding
SJB/slh17288/V990/Reports/V990-01D
(i)
V990-01D
JANUARY 2015
1.0
INTRODUCTION
1.1
Ardent Consulting Engineers has been instructed by Five Acres Local
Community Action (FALCA), on behalf of FALCA, Arkesden Parish
Council and Wicken Bonhunt Parish Meeting, to assess the flood risk
implications associated with the ‘Five Acres’ site in response to
Uttlesford District Council’s Gypsy and Traveller Issues and Options
Consultation, which commenced on 8th December 2014, and ends on
2nd February 2015.
1.2
The site has been proposed as a ‘site with potential’ on the basis
that Uttlesford Council considers that it is available and suitable for
Gypsy and Traveller use. This Appraisal report outlines the serious
flood risks associated with this proposed allocation, and provides
evidence to demonstrate that the site is unsuitable for gypsies and
travellers.
1.3
The impact of any potential flood risk has been assessed in
accordance with the guidance outlined within the National Planning
Policy Framework (NPPF) and the Government’s web-based Planning
Practice Guidance.
1.4
The NPPF was published in March 2012 by the Department for
Communities and Local Government (DCLG) provides the policy
advice for undertaking Flood Risk Assessments (FRA).
The advice
contained within the NPPF should be used in conjunction with the
web-based Planning Practice Guidance.
1.5
Draft Policy HO11: Sites for Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling
Showpeople (from the Uttlesford Local Plan – Pre-Submission
consultation) also sets out a series of criteria upon which sites
should be identified.
Criterion (c) states that “sites should not be
located within areas at risk of flooding”.
1.6
Consultation with the Environment Agency has confirmed that the
site is situated within the indicative undefended floodplain of the
nearby Wicken Water, which encroaches into the site from the site’s
eastern boundary. The site is located within Flood Risk Zone 3a
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V990-01D
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area, at a high probability of flooding. Evidence of recent flooding
is provided in this document, and the floodwater encroachment
conflicts with the only means of safe and dry means of access along
Poore Street:
View of Poore Street looking from the site to the south
1.7
This report demonstrates to Uttlesford District Council and its
Statutory Consultees that the level of flood risk at ‘Five Acres’,
adopting the guidelines outlined in the NPPF, is unsuitable for a
gypsy and traveller site.
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2.0
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
2.1
A flood risk appraisal has been prepared to assess the ‘Five Acres’
suitability as use for a gypsy and traveller site.
2.2
Consultation with the Environment Agency has established the ‘Five
Acre’ site is at a high risk of flooding from the Wicken Water and/or
surface water flooding.
2.3
Recent flooding events illustrate that the site regularly experiences
extensive floodwater inundation which would maroon any occupants
and place them in severe danger. The only means of safe and dry
escape from the land would no longer be available:
View of Poore Street looking south towards 5 Acres
2.4
Any occupants would be heavily reliant on the help and assistance of
the emergency services to evacuate the area as the site would not
receive any advanced warning of the impending danger.
2.5
The access and a significant part of the site is classified as a Flood
Risk Zone 3 site, at a high probability of flooding.
The standing-
advice outlined in the Planning Practice Guidance states that gypsy
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and traveller sites are not an appropriate form of development
where the land is at a high risk of flooding.
2.6
The report concludes that the site does not comply with the
guidance outlined with the National Planning Policy Framework and
is therefore considered to be unsuitable for the provision of a gypsy
and traveller site.
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3.0
V990-01D
JANUARY 2015
BASELINE PARAMETERS
Existing Site
3.1
‘Five Acres’ is located to the west of Poore Street, Wicken Bonhunt,
Essex.
It is a 2.2 hectare site, approximately 1 kilometre north-
west of Wicken Bonhunt, and approximately 1.5 kilometres southeast of Arkesden, in north-west Essex (as illustrated in Figure 1
below):
Figure 1: Site’s Location
3.2
The site is centred on an Ordnance Survey grid reference of
549070mE, 233400mN.
3.3
The site is currently covered by some vegetation. It is screened on
its southern boundary by a screen of Leyland Cypress trees, and on
its western boundary by a belt of deciduous trees, as illustrated in
the aerial photograph in Figure 2 on the following page.
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V990-01D
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SITE
Figure 2: Aerial Photograph
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4.0
V990-01D
JANUARY 2015
SURFACE WATER DRAINAGE
Flood Risk Assessment
4.1
A review of the Environment Agency’s maps illustrates that the site
is situated within the indicative undefended floodplain of the Wicken
Water (Flood Zone 3A), as illustrated in Figure 3 below:
SITE
Figure 3: Extent of Indicative Floodplain
4.2
As indicated in Figure 3 above the only means of access to the site
falls within the Flood Zone 3A area.
4.3
A further search of the Environment Agency’s maps confirms that
the site is situated within Groundwater Source Protection Zone
(Zone 3) – Total Catchment, described as “the area around a source
within which all groundwater recharge is presumed to be discharged
at the source. In confined aquifers, the source catchment may be
displaced some distance from the source. For heavily exploited
aquifers, the final Source Catchment Protection Zone can be defined
as the whole aquifer recharge area where the ratio of groundwater
abstraction to aquifer recharge (average recharge multiplied by
outcrop area) is >0.75.
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4.4
V990-01D
JANUARY 2015
Furthermore, the site is also considered to be at risk of surface
water flooding that would subject the site to significant floodwater
inundation in the event of an extreme event:
SITE
Figure 4: Extent of Surface Water Flooding
4.5
According to the guidance outlined on the Environment Agency’s
website, the land could experience a floodwater depth between
300mm to 900mm, depending on the severity of the storm.
4.6
Recent flooding has occurred at the ‘Five Acres’ site and from the
photographic records taken, the floodwater extends a significant
distance into the site.
This photograph is compelling relevant
evidence of the flood risk potential at the site and is precisely the
area where consultants to the Uttlesford District Council recommend
locating the pitches.
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Figure 5: Floodwater Encroachment into Five Acre Site
Flood Risk Policy
4.7
The site is situated within Wicken Water’s indicative undefended
floodplain.
4.8
This Appraisal has been undertaken in accordance with the policy
advice set out in the NPPF and the accompanying web-based
Planning Practice Guidance, with particular reference made to
paragraph 19 of the Planning Practice Guidance which clearly states
“the aim is to steer new development to Flood Zone 1 (areas with a
low probability of river or sea flooding)”.
4.9
Paragraph 102 of the NPPF specifically states that a Flood Risk Zone
3 site should demonstrate that the development will be safe for its
lifetime (taking into account the vulnerability of its users), without
increasing flood risk elsewhere and, where possible, reduce flood
risk overall.
4.10
The guidance uses the concept of sequential testing and the risk
based approach to flood risk and development.
Development
priorities are based on the specific flood risk zones outlined within
Table 1 of the technical guidance. These flood risk zones have been
briefly outlined below for reference:
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Zone 1 - Low probability. Land assessed as having a less than 1 in
1,000 year annual probability of river and sea flooding (<0.1%) in
any year;
Zone 2 – Medium probability. Land assessed as having between a 1
in 100 and 1 in 1,000 annual probability of river flooding (1%-0.1%)
and between a 1 in 200 and 1 in 1,000 annual probability of sea
flooding (0.5%-0.1%) in any year;
Zone 3a – High probability.
Land assessed as having a 1 in 100
year or greater annual probability of river flooding (>1%) and a 1 in
200 year or greater annual probability of flooding from the sea
(>0.5%) in any year;
Zone 3b – Functional floodplain. Land where water has to flow or
be stored in times of flood.
4.11
Paragraph 19 goes on to state “where there are no reasonably
available sites in Flood Zone 1, local planning authorities in their
decision making should take into account the flood risk vulnerability
of land uses and consider reasonably available sites in Flood Zone 2
(areas with a medium probability of river or sea flooding), applying
the Exception Test if required. Only where there are no reasonably
available sites in Flood Zones 1 or 2 should the suitability of sites in
Flood Zone 3 (areas with a high probability of river or sea flooding)
be considered, taking into account the flood risk vulnerability of land
uses and applying the Exception Test if required”.
4.12
Table 2 contained in the Planning Practice Guidance (paragraph 66)
classifies
schemes comprising “caravans, mobile homes and park
homes intended for permanent residential use”, to be a ‘highly
vulnerable’ land-class usage, in terms of flood risk:
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4.13
V990-01D
JANUARY 2015
Table 3: Flood risk vulnerability and flood zone ‘compatibility’ in
paragraph 67 of the Planning Practice Guidance1 states that ‘highly
vulnerable’ uses such as “caravans, mobile homes and park homes
intended for permanent residential use” are not appropriate and
“development should not be permitted”:
1
4.14
Planning Practice Guidance Reference ID: 7-067-20140306.
In the event of an extreme event where floodwaters encroach onto
the site, the access with Poore Street (the only means of evacuating
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the land), will be flooded effectively marooning the residents of the
site.
4.15
The Environment Agency provides a service to provide warning
alerts to inform residents of any extreme rainfall/flooding events
forecast in England. However, the ‘Five Acre’ site is not covered by
the Environment Agency’s ‘Flood Warning Areas’, and consequently
will not receive advanced notification of any forthcoming extreme
event. This will prevent residents from evacuating the premises or
taking preventative measures before the floodwaters reach the site:
SITE
Figure 6: Flood Warning Areas
4.16
In the absence of any advanced warning that an extreme event is
approaching the site, the residents will not have a safe or dry means
of escape to land outside Wicken Water’s floodplain.
4.17
Should the site experience an extreme event and any route to safety
is no longer available, the occupants will be heavily reliant upon the
emergency services, to assist in evacuating the site and reaching
safety.
4.18
Further evidence of the flood risk associated with the ‘Five Acre’ is
shown from the recent events that caused this area to flood
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JANUARY 2015
recently, and highlights the real risk any occupants would be
exposed to:
Site to right of entrance
Site entrance
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View of Poore Street looking south towards 5 Acres.
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JANUARY 2015
5.0
SUMMARY
5.1
In view of this appraisal’s findings, the following should be carefully
considered:
-
The access and a significant part of the site is classified as a
Flood Risk Zone 3 site, at a high probability of flooding;
-
The standing-advice outlined in the Planning Practice Guidance
states
that
“mobile
homes
and
park
homes
intended
for
permanent residential use” are not deemed to be appropriate
and therefore “development should not be permitted”.
-
Uttlesford District Council should apply the ‘Sequential Test’ to
identify alternative sites which are at less risk of flooding;
-
The site will be subjected to both fluvial and surface water
flooding;
-
Residents of the proposed gypsy/traveller site will not receive
any advanced warning of an impending extreme flood event
approaching the site;
-
No safe or dry means of escape will be available to the residents
once the floodwater reaches the site; and
-
Residents will be reliant upon the assistance of the emergency
services to evacuate the site.
5.2
In view of the evidence presented in this report, there is a serious
risk of flooding to the site on a regular basis and the proposed
allocation of the ‘Five Acre’ site is wholly inappropriate in this
particular location.
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`five acres` at land west of poore street, wicken

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