Subject: CCC/2015/23209 - Land north of Hinxton, Saffron Walden
Dear Iian, Enquiry regarding Land north of Hinxton, Saffron Walden, CB10 1RG. Thank you for your enquiry which was received on 12 November 2015. We respond to requests under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and Environmental Information Regulations 2004. Regarding your queries of the above site, please find below the relevant information:
Surface water and foul drainage strategy for a proposed development on a site south of Cambridge. We would like to know what, if any, restrictions there are on draining surface water and/or treated foul water to ground or into the River Cam (at an attenuated rate) please?
Location Overview The site overlies a Principle Chalk aquifer and as the customer has already identified is designated a Source Protection Zone (SPZ. This is a designation designed to protect public water supply abstractions and other sensitive receptors and signal that there are particular risks to the ground water source that they protect. For more information on SPZ’s please see our website: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/groundwater-source-protection-zones In terms of restrictions of both surface and foul water drainage to ground at the proposed site we would advise you read section G (position statements) of our GP3: Groundwater Protection, Principles and Practice, (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/groundwater-protection-principles-and-practice-gp3.) Surface Water Clean, uncontaminated surface water can be discharged to ground or surface water (river) without the need for an Environmental Permit from the Environment Agency. Other than within an SPZ1, the Environment Agency and Local Authorities expect new developments to utilise, wherever possible, Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SuDS) to dispose of surface water. These provide an alternative to channelling/piping surface water direct to watercourse and use retention and infiltration via soak-aways to minimise flood risk. Further information on SUDS will be found on the CIRIA web site, www.ciria.org/suds Foul Water Connection must be made to a public sewer where it is reasonable to do so. In deciding what is reasonable we will take into account cost, practicality and environmental considerations. We will only agree to the use of private sewage disposal facilities within publicly sewered areas if the applicant can demonstrate that the additional cost of connecting to sewer would be unreasonable, connection is not practically feasible or the proposed private sewerage system would provide additional environmental benefits that would outweigh the potential environmental risks. The nearest foul sewers to your site are located in; Station Road Whittlesford, High Street Hinxton and Town Lane, Pampisford. Anglian Water Services Ltd are sewage undertaker in this location. If you wish to discharge secondary treated sewage effluent within an SPZ1 or if the volume of the discharge will be ≥5m3 per day to surface water or ≥2m3 per day to groundwater you will require an Environmental Permit to do so. For more information please consult our pollution prevention guidance “Treatment and disposal of sewage where no foul sewer is available: PPG4” available on our website here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sewage-treatment-and-disposal-where-there-is-no-foul-sewer-ppg4 Please note: It is difficult for us to answer further without specific knowledge of your intentions. As well as the general information provided above, we would recommend you discuss the requirements of the Building Regulations with the local authority. If the development will require planning permission, you are welcome to enquire with us regarding pre-application planning advice. Please be advised that this will be chargeable. I have attached our Standard Notice which explains the permitted use of this information. Please get in touch if you have any further queries or contact us within two months if you’d like us to review the information we have sent. Kind regards, Lauren Mannering Customers and Engagement Officer Customers and Engagement Team Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire Area Address: Environment Agency, Bromholme Lane, Brampton, Huntingdon, PE28 4NE Telephone: Internal: 7 50 3951 | External: 01480 483951 Email: [email protected]
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