THAMESMEAD & ABBEY WOOD OPPORTUNITY AREA PLANNING FRAMEWORK 117 4.3 Environment, Energy and Utilities Chapter objectives • Improve the quality, functionality and accessibility of existing green spaces. Integrate more greenery into parts of the OA where possible. • Address flood risk, water use and wastewater infrastructure in a holistic and resilient way • Create a smart, integrated energy system that allows new developments to achieve net zero- carbon, and the opportunity for existing buildings to connect to a low-carbon heat network. • Improve air quality in the OA and reduce exposure to air pollution. Achieve an air quality positive approach. • Reduce waste, increase material re- use and recycling, and support the circular economy • Improve digital connectivity for local residents and businesses, and support the delivery of full-fibre, or the equivalent digital connectivity, THAMESMEAD & ABBEY WOOD OPPORTUNITY AREA PLANNING FRAMEWORK 119 Green Infrastructure P4 4.3 Objective: Improve the quality, functionality and accessibility of existing green spaces. Integrate more greenery Thamesmead into parts of the OA, where possible. Ecological Area Thamesmead and Abbey Wood Opportunity Area benefits from extensive areas of green Crossway Park space and a network of water bodies. These assets provide services that contribute to Crossness Sewage the health and wellbeing of local people, Treatment Works mitigate the impacts of climate change and help conserve and enhance biodiversity. Tump 53 Southmere As development takes place, it is crucial Gallions Park to protect and enhance these existing Hill assets, respect and improve the OA’s Birchmere unique landscape; and weave a coherent Park green infrastructure network into the built Veridion Park environment. R i d g e w a y Green infrastructure principles in this OA: • Improve existing green spaces and waterways by improving access to and through the network • Promote healthier living by ensuring local amenities and destinations are in Lesnes Abbey reach via sustainable transport modes. Wood • Ensure footpaths are well-lit and feel safe to encourage walking FIG 4.12 Existing open spaces and waterways in the OA • Strengthen and enhance existing Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC) to improve ecological resilience • Tackle sources of pollution to improve • Lessen the adverse impacts of climate water quality and increase the use of change by improving flood management sustainable drainage capacity of existing waterway networks and by greening the public realm to • Reduce exposure to poor air quality by create shade and natural cooling. providing greener walking/cycling routes THAMESMEAD & ABBEY WOOD OPPORTUNITY AREA PLANNING FRAMEWORK 119 Thamesmead Ecological Area Crossway Park Crossness Sewage Treatment Works Tump 53 Southmere Gallions Park Hill Birchmere Park Veridion Park R i d g e w a y Lesnes Abbey Wood EXISTING Not accessible/restricted access Thames Path Private access (eg. schools, leisure centres) Green Chain Walk Publicly accessible Ridgeway Water Green corridors Site of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC) Crossness conservation area Recreational grounds / facility (eg. basketball court) Designated listed structures Potential contaminated land THAMESMEAD & ABBEY WOOD OPPORTUNITY AREA PLANNING FRAMEWORK 121 Green Infrastructure: an integrated approach to active travel, ecological connections and flood risk P4 4.3 management A Green Infrastructure approach recognises that the network of green and blue spaces, street trees, green roofs and other major Thamesmead Ecological assets such as natural or semi-natural Area drainage features must be planned, designed and managed in an integrated way. Crossway Key opportunities in the Thamesmead and Park Abbey Wood OA: 3 Crossness Sewage 1 Thamesmead Waterfront Treatment Works 1 2 Broadwater Dock Tump 53 3 Tripcock Park Southmere Gallions Park 4 Sports Club Thamesmead Hill Birchmere 5 New nature reserve at Crossway Park 6 Southmere Lake Veridion Park 7 Ridgeway 9 8 Abbey Way R i d g e w a y 9 Green transit avenue 2 New developments should improve existing natural assets and contribute to the green infrastructure network. This Lesnes Abbey includes: Wood • Reducing motor traffic from local streets and increasing planting to create boulevards and pocket parks FIG 4.13 Proposed improvements n the OA • Introducing green roofs and façades • Creating new areas of flood storage • Introducing reed beds and wild flowers Living in the Landscape to conserve and enhance wildlife and natural habitats, where appropriate Peabody is preparing a green and • Supporting and securing management blue infrastructure strategy which will of new and existing open spaces provide a roadmap for making long- • Ensuring new public spaces and routes term improvements to Thamesmead’s are well-lit and feel safe landscape. THAMESMEAD & ABBEY WOOD OPPORTUNITY AREA PLANNING FRAMEWORK 121 Thamesmead Ecological Area Crossway Park 5 Crossness Sewage Treatment Works 4 Tump 53 Southmere Gallions Park Hill Birchmere 6 Park Veridion Park R i d g e w a y 7 8 Lesnes Abbey Wood EXISTING PROPOSED Not accessible/restricted access Improvements/new green routes Private access (eg. schools, leisure centres) SINC improvements Publicly accessible Open space improvements Water Potential for urban greening Site of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC) THAMESMEAD & ABBEY WOOD OPPORTUNITY AREA PLANNING FRAMEWORK 123 Flood risk and drainage P4 4.3 Objective: Address flood risk, water use In Thamesmead and Abbey Wood OA, and wastewater infrastructure in a holistic the Environment Agency and GLA are and resilient way supporting local authorities to develop Riverside Strategies. The development of There are big opportunities in the such an approach is considered particularly Thamesmead and Abbey Wood Opportunity important given the flood risk within the OA. Area to implement new, fully integrated These strategies should set out detailed water services infrastructure - such as requirements, restrictions and opportunities water supply, wastewater and flood risk for updating flood defences along the management - to support sustainable Thames. developments in the OA while providing safe, attractive waterfront destinations for Plans for future updates to defences should people and wildlife. be designed into waterfront development plans and local masterplans and incorporate Some of the key opportunities in the OA green infrastructure and placemaking. Even are to employ natural flood management with good flood defences there remains a methods that contribute to flood risk residual risk that those defences could fail. management, create recreational areas and It is therefore important that developments habitat, and reopen the Thames riverside in factor and design in flood resilience ways that manage flood risk while providing measures that mitigate this risk. a safe, attractive waterfront destination for people and wildlife. An Integrated Water Management Flood risk Strategy (IWMS) was prepared by Aecom The entire OA is in Flood Zone 2-3. This in April 2017. This study covers the means that without existing flood defences Thamesmead and Abbey Wood OA and or should the network of defences fail, identifies constraints to development due the area would be at high risk of flooding. to flooding, surface water drainage, water The OA experiences flood risks from supply and waste water infrastructure; and several sources. The full OA is at risk from includes opportunities to address them in tidal flooding from the Thames and fluvial flooding from the marsh dyke system. Parts a holistic way. The IWMS recommends a of the OA are also at risk from surface water feasibility study on the potential of using and ground water flooding. highly treated effluent from Crossness Wastewater Treatment Works to supply Thames Estuary 2100 Plan (Environment non-potable demands throughout the Agency, 2012) sets out an action plan for OA. A detailed IWMS is recommended to tidal flood risk management in Thamesmead determine the feasibility of this, identify and Abbey Wood. This plan identifies opportunities for tying drainage and water that development should improve flood reuse together; and develop an overall risk management, including floodplain water supply masterplan and delivery management and defences that enhance mechanisms. the waterfront environment. THAMESMEAD & ABBEY WOOD OPPORTUNITY AREA PLANNING FRAMEWORK 123 FIG 4.14 Thamesmead and Abbey Wood OA is in Flood Zone 2-3 Areas benefiting from flood defences Flood defence Flood zone 3 Main waterways Flood zone 2 Open space Flood hot spots FIG 4.15 Surface water flooding (source: https://flood-warning-information.service.gov.uk/long-term- flood-risk/map) THAMESMEAD & ABBEY WOOD OPPORTUNITY AREA PLANNING FRAMEWORK 125 Flood risk and drainage sustainable management of water and flood risk P4 4.3 Drainage improvements in the OA will be required over the next 30 years to support Development proposals should contribute the level of development proposed. These to water and flood risk management by: include sustainable drainage for control of • Minimising and mitigating flood risk in runoff, enlargement of drainage channels, ways that do not compromise good open spaces for flood storage and urban design, including incorporating improvements to the sewer network and flood resilience measures. pumping stations. • Creating new areas of publicly accessible open space that link to the Sustainable drainage system (SuDS) wider green infrastructure network and