Planning for Water

About us

Water is a vital resource. It is a subject area of great importance to planners.

The way in which water is managed can determine whether new development, land management, water usage, mineral working and waste management have a positive or negative impact on people and the environment.

Worcestershire County Council seeks to take a strategic overarching view of water issues and management in the county by providing advice and research.

Technical Research Paper

'Planning for Water in Worcestershire' Technical Research Paper  (1.5MB)

This research paper seeks to bring to the attention of plan makers and decision makers the water issues facing the County over the next 20 years and provide examples of best practice for how we might manage/plan our water resource in the future.

The Flood and Water Act (2010) is pending ministerial order before it comes into effect. Enactment of the Flood and Water Act (2010) including the development of SUDS guidance and accompanying regulations will add clarification to the roles and responsibilities of various stakeholders. It will place direct requirement for SUDS to have multifunctional benefits to, for example, biodiversity and recreation. It will also endorse a statutory duty for Flood Risk Authorities to co-operate on cross boundary issues. In addition, the Act will provide leading local flood authorities and the Environment Agency with the power to request information required in connection to their flood risk management functions.

This paper has been developed prior to those changes and their implications to the water management in Worcestershire will be taken into account when reviewing the Water Research Paper in the future.

Analysis

The latest consultation on the 'Planning for Water in Worcestershire' Technical Research Paper took place in December 2010.

Details of consultation comments received, together with Worcestershire County Council's officer responses, can be viewed by following the link.

Technical Research Paper Consultation Responses 2010 (69KB)

Details of the previous consultation which took place in 2008 can be viewed below:

Technical Research Paper Consultation Responses 2008 (582KB)

Water Cycle Strategies (WCS) and Strategic Flood Risk Assessments

WCS are being encouraged by the Environment Agency to accompany Development Plan Documents. The Water Cycle Strategy will provide a plan and programme for implementation of water services infrastructure.

Local Planning Authorities are required to undertake Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA) to inform planning decisions through the designation of flood zones based on risk, and the application of the sequential and exception tests.

Further details of District Authorities Water Cycle Strategies and the Strategic Flood Risk Assessments are available by following the links below.

• Bromsgrove District Council
• Redditch Borough Council
• South Worcestershire Development Plan (Malvern Hills, Worcester City, Wychavon District Councils)
• Wyre Forest

Flood and Water Management Act

The Flood and Water Management Act received Royal Assent on 8 April 2010. On the 01 October 2010 the first commencement order for the Act will come into force implementing several provisions within the Act including definitions, the activation of statutory instrument making powers, and provisions requiring the Environment Agency and Lead Local Flood Authorities to develop strategies for risk management.

Provisions assisting internal drainage boards to operate through consortia from October will also be implemented. 

Two further orders have also been laid in parliament and are due to come into force on the 01 October 2010. These are as follows:

• Flood Risk Management Functions Order 2010.

This order will identify water company duties to provide surface water sewers and recently transposed EU Floods Directive functions of the Environment Agency and local authorities to prepare flood risk assessments, flood maps and plans, within the scope of the Act requiring these functions to be performed in specified ways.

For instance, the functions must be carried out in a manner which is consistent with the upcoming National Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Strategy