Decision details

Reasons for Decisions

Reasons for the proposed conditions are specified under each listed condition.

Alternative options considered and rejected

Not applicable.

Planning application reference WD/D/18/002368 at the site Former Mountjoy School, Flood Lane, Bridport was delegated for approval by the Western and Southern planning committee on 05/09/2019, subject to a legal agreement under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended) to secure 35% affordable housing in the form of a financial contribution, planning conditions and subject to the holding objection being withdrawn by the Flood Risk Management Team and any amendments to surface water drainage conditions requested by the Flood Risk Management Team.

The conditions requested by the Flood Risk Management Team after the committee meeting were:

No development shall take place until a detailed surface water management scheme for the site, based upon the hydrological and hydrogeological context of the development, and including clarification of how surface water is to be managed during construction, has been submitted to, and approved in writing by the local planning authority. The surface water scheme shall be fully implemented in accordance with the submitted details before the development is completed and must be fully complaint with the SuDS hierarchy as laid out in the CIRIA SuDS Manual C753.

REASON: To prevent the increased risk of flooding, to improve and protect water quality, and to improve habitat and amenity.

 No development shall take place until a complete condition and route survey in respect of the existing privately-owned SW sewer has been submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority.

REASON: To prevent the increased risk of flooding, to improve and protect water quality, and to improve habitat and amenity.

No development shall take place until details of maintenance & management of both the surface water sustainable drainage scheme and any receiving system have been submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority. The scheme shall be implemented and thereafter managed and maintained in accordance with the approved details. These should include a plan for the lifetime of the development, the arrangements for adoption by any public body or statutory undertaker, or any other arrangements to secure the operation of the surface water drainage scheme throughout its lifetime.

REASON: To ensure future maintenance of the surface water drainage system, and to prevent the increased risk of flooding.

In response to the requested conditions an amended drainage strategy addendum was submitted. The addendum showed that the existing, private surface water connection had been explored in sufficient depth and cannot be considered viable and that a connection into the Wessex Water combined sewer would be used for discharging runoff from the site. The Flood Risk Management Team were re-consulted on the application and considered that the depth of the tank and shallow combined system means that a gravity discharge cannot be achieved and as such a pump is required despite the poor sustainability credential of such a design. Given that the use of the privately owned sewer has now been discounted, one of the conditions previous recommended has been removed, leaving the following, which should be applied to any decision notice issued: No development shall take place until a detailed surface water management scheme for the site, based upon the hydrological and hydrogeological context of the development, and including clarification of how surface water is to be managed during construction, including a timetable for the implementation of the scheme, has been submitted to, and approved in writing by the local planning authority.

The necessary detailed design shall include all required clarification and substantiation of the proposed surface water management scheme and it shall thereafter be implemented in accordance with the submitted details and timetable.

REASON: To prevent the increased risk of flooding, to improve and protect water quality, and to improve habitat and amenity.

No development shall take place until details of maintenance & management of both the surface water sustainable drainage scheme and any receiving system have been submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority. The scheme shall be implemented and thereafter managed and maintained in accordance with the approved details. These should include a plan for the lifetime of the development, the arrangements for adoption by any public body or statutory undertaker, or any other arrangements to secure the operation of the surface water drainage scheme throughout its lifetime.

REASON: To ensure future maintenance of the surface water drainage system, and to prevent the increased risk of flooding.

No development shall take place until rainwater and greywater harvesting measures have been explored for potential use within the approved drainage proposals. Consideration of these methods must be fully documented and substantiated. Where use of these measures is not considered viable, this should be explained, in planning policy terms, for review and approval by the planning authority. Alternatively, where use of rain and / or grey water harvesting is considered feasible, proposals should be outlined and incorporated within a Detailed Drainage Strategy for approval, in writing, by the planning authority. The scheme shall be implemented and thereafter managed and maintained in accordance with the approved details for the lifetime of the development.

REASON: To ensure adequate consideration of volume reduction (in respect of any discharge to the foul sewerage network), thereby reducing potential treatment of waste water, corresponding energy use and connected Carbon Dioxide emissions.

The proposed conditions were discussed with the agent for the application, and they did not accept the condition requested for rainwater and greywater harvesting measures due to the cost and the impacts on the time frame. Whilst the concerns regarding the energy use implications of the drainage strategy are noted, as the proposed drainage system is considered acceptable and the condition was suggested late in the process it is not considered that the proposed condition is required to make the application acceptable and therefore we could not refuse the application if the condition was not placed on the application.

Therefore the conditions as shown at committee with the additional two which cover a detailed surface water management plan and details of maintenance and management would be placed on any approval granted.