Sir John Harman / Chairman – Environment Agency
Millbank Tower – 25th Floor
21-24 Millbank
LONDON SW1 4XL
29 Mar 06
Your ref.: PG/Fell8083/0603.24
Dear Sir John,
MODELLING IN FLOODPLAIN : SITE SPECIFIC – GUNTHORPE / LOWER TRENT
I acknowledge your note dated 24th March.
Please find enclosed a tear sheet from tonight’s Nottingham Post within which is published a letter on behalf of GEFAG relating to the major concern in respect of a planning application for quarrying sand and gravel by Tarmac Central Limited on land owned by Severn Trent whose chairman is Sir John Egan.
Over the last 4 years many local residents (supported by their MPs and other local elected members) have expressed deep concerns due to perceived floodrisk. We consider the process of allocation has been “pushed through against evidence” by the County Council as Mineral Planning Authority. This may yet be legally challenged.
Paddy Tipping MP (Sherwood Constituency) informs me that the Environment Agency in Nottingham has expressed major concerns with the modelling for this application carried out by JBA Consultants. We are grateful for that “informal” critical appraisal at this time.
We now believe from information given that Tarmac is currently seeking to meet with senior EA managers. We wish to express to you our grave concern should this be an intention to “modify” the position expressed by the Environment Agency team in Nottingham that they consider the modelling results for the quarry are unacceptable, in their present state, in terms of risk to local properties. Additional concerns are expressed in respect of dewatering and effect on nearby properties – including a Conservation Area.
Yours sincerely,
Roger Fell
PS: The aerial photo image next to the letter is of the site JBA modelled last year in August with a prediction that the flood level for 1 in 100 would be 17.98mAOD: the flood image is a 1 in 33 event which had a flood level at this location of 18.20mAOD. (The site is on the extreme right edge circled blue on the aerial floodplain view showing the planning application area plus the additional Western Extension now allocated for extraction in the Nottinghamshire Replacement Mineral Plan and in proposed Zone 3a of the floodplain).