Neighbourhood Planning and Anglian Water Guidance Note 2 Neighbourhood Planning and Anglian Water Neighbourhood Planning and Anglian Water

Who we are investment occurs in the right place Anglian Water supply water and at the right time, taking into account a water recycling services to more than range of growth scenarios. six million domestic and business customers in the and We understand that infrastructure is Hartlepool. an important consideration for local communities when considering the Our role in Neighbourhood Planning future of the places that they live Neighbourhood Plans enable parish, and we want to help support those town councils and designated bodies communities who are preparing a to develop a spatial planning strategy Neighbourhood Plan. for their local area which can be used in making decisions on relevant planning applications. Borough, city, district and unitary councils have a statutory responsibility to support parish, town councils and Hartlepool designated bodies preparing statutory Neighbourhood Plans. Grimsby Anglian Water takes our role in facilitating growth and placemaking Lincoln very seriously and work closely with local councils to understand where and when demand for our services Grantham will be expected and for us to plan Great accordingly. We undertake extensive Yarmouth research and planning to ensure that Daventry Northampton

Water services only Milton Keynes Colchester Water recycling services only Water and water recycling services

Neighbourhood Planning and Anglian Water 3 and sustainable new communities where you live.

We carefully plan for growth by checking that the water recycling centres can accommodate additional demand as well as having the Our Strategic Planning team will necessary infrastructure to supply help support the preparation of clean water and dispose of foul flows. Neighbourhood Plans by providing information on how we consider This short guide has been produced infrastructure capacity, how we to clarify how we can work with manage the impact of development you on the preparation of your on our infrastructure, funding Neighbourhood Plan. arrangements and information on historic operational issues, where There are five main stages to preparing appropriate. a Neighbourhood Plan. Once you have an area defined for your plan we We can help you to understand the recommend that you contact us in potential infrastructure impacts of the early phases of its preparation so the sites that you are considering that we are able to provide you with and to help the creation of attractive background information.

4 Neighbourhood Planning and Anglian Water How we can help you with the preparation of your Neighbourhood Plan: Stage 1 – Producing your plan

At this early stage, you will have support from your local planning authority to help you to understand the timescales, resources and scale of there may be constraints. We aim the development and spatial policies to provide this information within that you may want to consider. six weeks but will advise if there is added complexity. We recommend you speak to the local planning authority about the c) When considering new infrastructure evidence that has development we work on a nil already been prepared for your area detriment basis. This means a and how this could be used to support new development must ensure your plan. that it can be accommodated without impacting on existing What can we do to support you at residents. It is not the role of the this stage? new development to rectify historic issues, and operational issues such a) If you would like to know the as blockages are not reasons, in location of infrastructure services themselves, to not select sites for in your area, Anglian Water has development. made asset maps available at Local Planning Authority offices in d) We would ask that Anglian our area or via the digdat website Water is consulted if the plan or (www.utilities.digdat.co.uk). These order includes a specific site or maps have information on all sites located within a defined Anglian Water assets and will help Groundwater Source Protection you to understand the system that Zone. This is to ensure that any services your area. proposals do not have an adverse effect on any existing boreholes b) Capacity can be dependent on which are used to supply the location of sites, connection points public with drinking water. Further and the timing of their delivery. details of the Source Protection If you would like to know more Zones are available to view at the about the capacity availability, ’s website at and have identified specific sites, the following address: we can provide an overview of http://apps.environment-agency. the available capacity and where gov.uk/wiyby/37833.aspx

Neighbourhood Planning and Anglian Water 5 Stage 2 – Pre-submission consultation

Planning regulations require that your proposed plan undergoes a six week public consultation prior to formally submitting it to the relevant local Stage 3 – Submission and publication planning authority. of the plan

The plan is consulted on with the After consideration of comments public, services, local organisations and changes to the plan from the and other bodies such as Highway pre-submission stage, the plan is England and the Environment Agency. now submitted to the relevant local planning authority. At this stage, no Any comments made will then need further changes can be made to the to be reviewed and the plan changed Neighbourhood Plan. in areas if required, ready to submit to the relevant council. The relevant council then publicises the submitted plan for a second six What can we do to support you at week public consultation. this stage? What can we do to support you at a) Anglian Water at this stage will this stage? provide formal comments to the Pre-submission consultation for a) Anglian Water is consulted on the consideration of the body Neighbourhood Plans by the preparing the Neighbourhood Plan. local planning authority. At this stage, if necessary, we will provide b) If any issues are identified during formal comments to the submitted the consultation, we will advise on Neighbourhood Plan for the the necessary changes needed to consideration of the appointed address our comments. examiner.

b) If any issues are identified during the consultation, we will advise on the necessary changes to take to address our comments.

Any comments made or relevant information will be sent back to the local planning authority for our response to be publicised. For any comments made or for information on the plan, please visit the relevant local planning authority’s website.

6 Neighbourhood Planning and Anglian Water Stage 4 – Independent examination

The relevant council will appoint a suitably qualified individual to undertake an independent examination. The examiner will provide a report that sets out a recommendation on the plan.

The possible recommendations are: • The plan meets the basic conditions Stage 5 – Referendum and adoption and should proceed to referendum; Upon receiving the examiner’s • Modifications are needed for the report approving the plan and the plan to meet the basic conditions district council’s formal decision to before the plan should proceed to proceed, the council will arrange for referendum; or a referendum to take place in the neighbourhood area. This allows • The plan does not meet the basic for residents to decide whether conditions and no modifications can or not the plan should be used in be made so that it will, and it should making planning decisions in the therefore not proceed. neighbourhood area.

The relevant council will then publish If the plan gains more than 50% the examiners report and the council’s of votes for ‘yes’, then the council decision on whether the plan will will adopt the plan at the earliest proceed to referendum. possible opportunity, making the Neighbourhood Plan part of the What can we do to support you at development plan for the area. It will this stage? then be used in conjunction with the Local Plan in making decisions on a) If any issues are identified during planning applications. the examination, we will advise on the necessary changes to take to What can we do to support you at address our comments. this stage?

Any comments made or relevant a) By this stage, any issues or information will be sent back to modifications would have been the council for our response to be resolved during previous stages. publicised. For any comments made or We would then be able to advise for information on the plan, please visit once the Neighbourhood Plan the relevant local planning authority’s has been adopted and planning website. applications start to come forward.

Neighbourhood Planning and Anglian Water 7 Some of our Frequently Asked Questions about Neighbourhood Plans

Does Anglian Water serve our area?

The following website can be searched by area and confirm whether a specific area served by Anglian Water: What if there is a planning application http://inyourarea.digdat.co.uk/ in my area?

Anglian Water comments on major Does Anglian Water respond to planning applications (10 or more Neighbourhood Plans? dwellings or 0.5ha or more in the case of employment). Anglian Water is a statutory consultee on the preparation of Neighbourhood If you have any concerns relating to Plans. We provide comments to the specific planning applications please Local Planning Authority or the body contact the Pre-Development team. preparing the Neighbourhood Plan on growth proposals, including any Contact details relating to this team capacity constraints. are available to view at the following address: These comments will be available from http://www.anglianwater.co.uk/ the Local Planning Authority or the developers/planning-services.aspx body preparing the Neighbourhood Plan (parish or town council or designated body). Should you advise that Developers contact us?

Yes, please. Through the Neighbourhood Planning process we are unable to provide site specific costs for each development proposal.

We do have a pre-development service which for a fee will undertake a complete an assessment of the implications of the site for Anglian Water’s existing infrastructure, including modelling where necessary.

8 Neighbourhood Planning and Anglian Water This is used to identify mitigation Can I obtain the response directly within the foul sewerage network and/ from Anglian Water? or water supply networks which is required. Our comments are sent to the body preparing the Neighbourhood Plan For our pre-planning service and or the local council only, at the contact details, please visit http:// relevant stages. If you wish to view www.anglianwater.co.uk/developers/ any comments made you will need pre-planning-service-.aspx. to access them via the website of the body preparing the Neighbourhood Developers are strongly encouraged to Plan or the local planning authority as complete a pre-planning report as best appropriate. practice and to identify site specific connections. Where can I obtain maps of Anglian Water’s infrastructure? How long does it take to receive a response? Maps of Anglian Water’s assets detailing the location of our water Anglian Water will provide comments and water recycling infrastructure no later than six weeks after receiving (including both underground assets the Neighbourhood Plan documents and aboveground assets such as required to make a response. pumping stations, water treatment

Neighbourhood Planning and Anglian Water 9 Public sewers are designed to protect works and water recycling centres) properties from the risk of flooding in are available to view free of charge normal wet weather conditions and at Osprey House, 1 Percy Road, we take action to ensure that they are Huntingdon PE29 6SZ (8.30am until used correctly in order to increase 5.00pm Monday to Friday, except their resilience and effectiveness. bank holidays) or at city, borough, The Lead Local Flood Authority is district and unitary councils offices. responsible for managing the risk Please contact the relevant council of surface water, groundwater and regarding their arrangements for ordinary watercourses. viewing these plans. If you would like a copy of the plans, these are available Where there are recorded flooding to purchase at: www.utilities.digdat. incidents, the action taken or planned co.uk. by Anglian Water will be dependent upon the nature of the flood and what represents the best value for our What is the current capacity of the customer’s bill money. sewerage network and sewerage treatment works in our area? For more information on flooding in your area, please visit: http://www. The available capacity within the anglianwater.co.uk/household/water- sewerage network will be dependent recycling-services/flooding.aspx upon the location of any connection points and the proposed discharge rate. What policies does Anglian Water wish to see included in The available capacity at the relevant Neighbourhood Plans? sewerage treatment works to accommodate further development Where we provide water and/or will be dependent upon the scale of water recycling services, we would growth proposed in the catchment. support the inclusion of policies on the following issues where they are not included in an existing Local Plan: Have issues relating to historic • Applicants demonstrate that flooding been addressed by Anglian there is capacity within the Water? water supply network or that it can be made available prior to There are a number of bodies with occupation. responsibility for managing flood • Applicants demonstrate that there risk. Anglian Water is responsible for is capacity within the foul sewerage managing the risks of flooding from treatment and disposal is available surface water, foul water or combined or that it can be provided prior to water systems. the occupation of development.

10 Neighbourhood Planning and Anglian Water • Developments should adhere to addressed in Local Plans in accordance the surface water management with the relevant Ministerial Statement. hierarchy, as outlined in part H of Building regulations, with disposal to a surface water sewer seen as What can you do to help us? the last resort and with Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) being the There are lots of simple things we can preferred method of surface water all do to help improve the environment management. in which we live and to make sure the water supply is safe and secure. These The relevant council will be able to small adjustments will also contribute advise as to whether these issues to preventing blockages that can have already been addressed in their cause flooding. Local Plan. Where this is the case, we do not consider it necessary You can find easy ways to make to duplicate such policies in a a difference to help preserve our Neighbourhood Plan. environment and efficiently use our resources at: http://www.anglianwater. In relation to water efficiency our co.uk/environment/how-you-can- expectation is that this would be help/.

Neighbourhood Planning and Anglian Water 11 Get in touch: Strategic Planning Team Water Resources Anglian Water Services Limited Thorpe Wood House Thorpe Wood Peterborough PE3 6WT

Guidance Note