From: Dartnall, Emily Mailto:Emily

From: Dartnall, Emily
Sent: 30 April 2009 17:41
To: Tina Rowley
Subject: RE: West Oxfordshire Core Strategy So Far - Interim Position (email 1 of 2)

Hi Tina,

Here are the comments so far.

Chipping Norton.

This development is in Source Protection Zone 3 which is the outer protection zone. We would want to restrict development of processes that use or store polluting substances such as solvents, fuels and oils. This does not have major implications for housing development, as long as it is connected to mains drainage. There may be some restrictions on the way surface water drainage is designed e.g. not to use deep soakaways intersecting the groundwater, need to use oil interceptor on large car parking areas and roads.

Carterton

The Savills site has an area of potentially contaminated land in the south east, that would need investigation. An FRA would be needed to address surface water drainage as the site is over 1 hectare. There may be opportunities for ecological enhancement along the watercourses on site, and opening up culverts. This benefits flood risk management and ecology.

We don't have any environmental constraints to development north of Carterton. Its hard to comment in more detail without a specific location. But, as above, we would look for surface water management, and enhancement of watercourses, perhaps using them as part of green infrastructure.

Flood Risk Policy for the Core Strategy

We are recommending you include text referring to the need to steer development away from areas at risk of flooding for two reasons. My colleagues recently presented our Flood Risk Standing Advice to your DC planners and this matter was questioned by them. Also we have had recent examples of planning application consultations where no sequential test was included, and my colleagues have had to adviseyour DC planners on the need for this test.

My colleague Jon Mansbridge is liaising with John Waterman in order to have a DC planner given some extra training in Flood Risk matters, which we see as a really positive step towards your team building their skills base in this area. Our suggestion for some text in the Core Strategy highlighting this issue was intended complement that learning process, both for the Council and for Developers, and to reduce our need to advise onthe same matter in the future.

Iaim tocome back to you with comments on the Witneyin the second week in May.

I'm happy to discuss these comments, but as mentioned before I am out of the office until Friday 8th May

Yours sincerely

Emily Dartnall

Major Projects Officer (LDF)

Planning Liaison

Environment Agency