Policy BRO2: Land at the Rainbow Trout public house, Broad Oak

Proposed housing numbers for the site at Rainbow Trout public house have increased since the Development and Site Allocations Local Plan - Options and Preferred Options consultation February 2017, and as a result Southern Water has reassessed the capacity of the local sewer network to accommodate anticipated foul flows from the development. This assessment has shown that a connection to the sewer network at this site's 'practical point of connection' (as defined in the New Connections Services implemented from 1 April 2018), could lead to an increased risk of flooding unless network reinforcement is undertaken in advance of occupation.

This reinforcement will be provided through the New Infrastructure charge but Southern Water will need to work with site promoters to understand the development program and to review whether the delivery of network reinforcement aligns with the occupation of the development.

This is not a constraint to development provided that planning policy and subsequent conditions ensure that occupation of the development is phased to align with the delivery of water and wastewater infrastructure, in order to prevent the increased risk of flooding.

Southern Water has limited powers to prevent connections to the water and sewerage networks, even when capacity is limited. Planning policies and planning conditions, therefore, play an important role in ensuring that development is coordinated with the provision of necessary infrastructure.

We have therefore proposed a policy provision aimed at mitigating flood risk by seeking to ensure the delivery of necessary local sewerage infrastructure in parallel with development. Our proposed provision would be in line with paragraph 157 of the NPPF which states that Local Plans should 'plan positively for the development and infrastructure required in the area', and paragraph 109 which sets out how the planning system can enhance the local environment by preventing new and existing development from being adversely affected by pollution (which may include sewer flooding). In addition, paragraph 177 of the NPPF outlines that it is important to ensure that planned infrastructure is deliverable in a timely fashion.

Proposed amendments

Accordingly, in line with the NPPF and National Planning Practice Guidance, to ensure sustainable development, we propose that the following criterion is added to Policy BRO2:

(ix) Occupation of the development is phased to align with the delivery of sewerage infrastructure, in liaison with the service provider.

Wider allocation incorporates land we do not own or control. The sites therefore should not be combined.
We do support the residential allocation of part of our site to the east.
Our site should be allocated in its own right. The housing element is justified on a stand alone basis.
By virtue of the current consented uses there is no requirement to fetter the wider site by including the pub in the allocation.
We support the sites inclusion within the village boundary given its central, accessible and sustainable location.
Whilst we acknowledge the desire to retain the public house, the area allocated may not truly reflect that which is reasonably required to ensure its continued operation as this is a large area of car parking which may be too large. Any land retained for the public house should take a realistic view based on the actual needs of the pub.
Surplus land does exist, the best use for this will be a potential extension to the housing allocation to ensure the best and most efficient use of land in such a central, sustainable location and where the LPA have already acknowledged the suitability and need for future housing.