Planning Applications - Runnymede Borough Council

Flooding Issues
6.12 The site lies within the flood plain of the River Wey. The application is
accompanied by a Flood Risk Assessment (FRA). The FRA identifies
various mitigation measures and these have been incorporated with the
proposed scheme to compensate for the loss of flood capacity. The views
of the Environment Agency are not known, however the concerns for
Runnymede will be that such measures are sufficient to ensure the
development will not increase the risk of flooding downstream within the
Borough. Elmbridge Borough Council should be requested to have full
regard for this concern in their consideration of the application.
Conclusion
6.13 The Committee would undoubtedly wish to support an acceptable scheme
which secured the long term future of the Central Area of Brooklands in a
satisfactory manner in terms of both the Green Belt, the local highway
network and matters of flooding. Clearly it will be for Elmbridge Borough
Council, in the first instance, to assess whether or not this is an acceptable
scheme given all the circumstances and material considerations. In coming
to any such decision Elmbridge Borough Council will among other matters,
need to consider fully this Borough’s objections in respect of the Green Belt
and highways-related issues and to ensure that the concerns regarding
flooding are adequately addressed.
Officers’ Recommendation
OBJECT for the following reasons:
1. The proposal conflicts with the policy for the preservation of the
Metropolitan Green Belt, as defined and described in Policies PE1
and PE2 of the Surrey Structure Plan 1994, Policy LO4 of the Surrey
Structure Plan Deposit Draft December 2002 and Policy GB2 of the
Elmbridge Borough Local Plan August 2000, and it is not considered
that sufficient reasons have been put forward in support of the
application to amount to very special circumstances justifying the
development.
2. It has not yet been demonstrated that the proposals are compatible
with the transport infrastructure in the area, in terms of the level of
trip generation and the impact of the development traffic on the local
highway network, contrary to the requirements in Policy MT2 of the
Surrey Structure Plan Deposit Draft December 2002 and the advice
in Planning Policy Guidance Note 13.
Informatives:
1. Elmbridge Borough Council are requested to ensure that the
development will not give rise to any increased risk of flooding from
the River Wey downstream of the site, but which lies within the
Borough of Runnymede.