POLICY TIP11: GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE

I am 100 percent behind protecting our green spaces. I understand a rare orchid was found recently. It is imperative we protect and value these areas before they are gone forever.

I agree with this policy. Tiptree desperately needs to protect its wildlife areas and green space. The need for these areas to remain was particularly highlighted during Covid lockdown when we needed to find open space for recreation. Open space, accessible on foot, for recreation and dog walking is essential.

I agree

Agree very strongly

I agree

All building works on green open spaces should be avoided, community open spaces are vitally important for health and well being.

I agree

Agree

I agree

I agree

Whole heartedly support the fact that proposals that removed green space will not be supported.

I Agree

I agree it is essential to protect the local wildlife sites

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I fully support this

agree

I agree

I agree

I strongly support.

Anglian Water Consultation Response
Tiptree Neighbourhood Plan Reg. 16 Consultation
Anglian Water welcomes the opportunity to respond the consultation on the Tiptree Submission Neighbourhood Plan.
Anglian Water
Anglian Water is the water and water recycling provider for over 6 million customers in the east of England. Our operational area spans between the Humber and Thames estuaries and includes around a fifth of the English coastline. The region is the driest in the UK and the lowest lying, with a full quarter of our area below sea level. This makes it particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change including heightened risks of both drought and flooding. Additionally, our region has the highest rate of housing in England. The initial 2021 census report identifies that population growth in the region was 8.3% in the past decade against a national average of 6.6%. Population growth in the borough of Colchester was at an even higher rate growing by 11.3% between 2011 and 2021.
Anglian Water has amended its Articles of Association to include the requirement that in undertaking these duties we will act in the public interest. Our Purpose is to bring environmental and social prosperity to the region we serve through our commitment to Love Every Drop. We recognise the carbon impacts of managing customer’s water needs and so Anglian Water has made the commitment to be a net zero business by 2030.
Anglian Water and the Neighbourhood Plan
Anglian Water is the statutory water and sewerage undertaker for the Tiptree neighbourhood plan area and is a statutory consultee under the Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012. Anglian Water wants to proactively engage with the neighbourhood plan process to ensure the plan delivers benefits for the residents, and in doing so protect the environment and water resources. As a purpose-led company, we are committed to seeking positive environmental and social outcomes for our region.
Water Resources
Tiptree is within the South Essex Water Resource Zone (WRZ) – each WRZ is used to develop forecasts of supply and demand. The South Essex WRZ is predicted to be in a severe supply-demand deficit for water supply due the challenges of climate change, reduction in groundwater abstraction and population growth. This means we will need more resilience to supply customers throughout the Anglian Water region in the coming decades. Our plans to invest in the water supply network are set out in the Water Resource Management Plan 2019. The Strategic Pipeline Alliance builds on our existing infrastructure to develop a more integrated strategic network that utilises surpluses in Lincolnshire and North Fenland to support ‘downstream’ WRZs, including South Essex. We expect to complete the new network by 2025. Neighbourhood Plans can have a role in introducing demand management measures that increase water efficiency with customers and enables supplies to be maintained, such as encouraging more ambitious water efficiency measures in new homes, and rainwater harvesting.
Comments on the Tiptree Neighbourhood Plan
VISION AND OBJECTIVES
Anglian Water supports the objectives for the neighbourhood plan and the which set out how the overarching vision will be achieved. We particularly welcome references to delivering growth and supporting infrastructure in a sustainable manner and the aim to protect and enhance the local environment. This aligns with our ambitions to enable sustainable housing and economic growth and work with others to achieve significant improvements to ecological quality across our catchments.
5 SPATIAL STRATEGY
Colchester Local Plan: It is noted that the Colchester Local Plan Section 2 (adopted July 2022) allocates a minimum of 600 dwellings to Tiptree, to be delivered within the plan period to 2033. The plan identifies that 200 dwellings already have the benefit of planning permission in Tiptree and Policy SS14, sets out that the Tiptree Neighbourhood Plan will, inter alia, allocate specific sites for housing allocations to deliver a minimum of 400 dwellings; set out any associated policies needed to support this housing delivery; and set out the policy framework within the parish to guide the delivery of any infrastructure/community facilities required to support the development in accordance with the requirements of Local Plan Policies SG7 (Infrastructure Delivery and Impact Mitigation) and PP1 (Generic Infrastructure and Mitigation Requirements). We are supportive of this approach and the need for infrastructure delivery, including water supply and sewerage connections, to comply with the relevant Local Plan policies.
Anglian Water’s Developer Services team can advise developers on the water supply and wastewater options to inform the submission of applications on the proposed sites and we recommend early engagement with our pre-planning enquiry team to ensure that infrastructure provision can be planned in a coordinated manner.
We note that the plan identifies two areas allocated for development and each comprises several submitted sites that have been promoted by more than one land agent or developer. We agree with the assertion that it is a necessary requirement that each allocation is brought forward in a coordinated manner. This coordination is fundamental in enabling more efficient and effective infrastructure provision, which leads to positive outcomes for future occupiers and the existing community. It also ensures that measures to improve the environmental performance of new developments are more feasible and integrated into the overall scheme.
POLICY TIP01: TIPTREE SPATIAL STRATEGY – Anglian Water supports the policy approach which enables development proposals for necessary utilities infrastructure outside the settlement boundary where no reasonable alternative location is available; given the nature of our assets, such as pumping stations and water recycling centres, which are in locations outside the settlement boundary or not closely located to existing residential development. This policy provision will ensure that we are able to deliver any future enhancements to our assets so that they are robust and resilient.
In delivering development on the site allocations in Policies TIP15 and TIP16 we agree with the key matters identified in Policy TIP01, particularly those in relation to the delivery of utilities, high quality design, and green infrastructure including through the provision of SuDS (Sustainable Drainage Systems). The use of SuDS to minimise surface water run-off is a key solution to removing surface water from the sewerage system. This provides resilience against the impacts of climate change and addressing risk at our WRCs (Water Recycling Centres). Our Draft Drainage and Wastewater Management Plan identifies a long-term strategy (to 2050) of 50% surface water removal from the water recycling catchment serving Tiptree WRC.
We recommend that the Neighbourhood Plan introduces measures identified in the recently updated Planning Practice Guidance for addressing flood risk and suggest that the policy should encourage consideration of sustainable drainage systems early in the design process for development, including at the pre-application or master-planning stages, to ensure better integration, multi-functional benefits and reduced land-take.
Furthermore, we advise that the supporting text includes a reference to our pre planning enquiry service and signposts to our standard SuDS guidance and Surface Water Policy advice .
6 DESIGN AND HOUSING
Paragraph 6.4 - Whilst we recognise the importance of energy efficiency and low carbon/renewable sources of energy are important to reduce operational carbon from new developments the design of new buildings should also factor the efficient use of resources in general to reduce capital (embedded) carbon, but also encourage more ambitious water efficiency measures that include integrated water management. The significant allocations at Highland Nursery and Elms Farm have the scope to provide water efficient measures such as rainwater harvesting and reuse. When combined with SuDS, this has a positive outcome for future potable water demand within an area identified as being in serious water stress. We suggest that the wording of Policy TIP02 Good Quality Design is amended to read:
“Designs that incorporate new technology to increase energy and water efficiency and reduce the carbon footprint will be encouraged.”
11 COUNTRYSIDE, GREEN SPACES AND GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE
Policy TIP11: We support the approach to the provision of green infrastructure and the reference to its multi-functional benefits including adapting and mitigating against a changing climate. This highlights the need for nature-based solutions, such as natural flood management, to ensure greater resilience to climate change impacts such as flooding. The policy requirement to design Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) to maximise the potential for biodiversity to thrive is welcomed and complements our purpose and strategic ambitions.
Flooding: We welcome the section addressing flooding in the neighbourhood plan (paragraphs 11.6-11.9) that identify the current and future risks and signpost developers and applicants to relevant guidance. Anglian Water can advise developers on SuDS and nature-based solutions for sites, and our manual for SuDS can be found here.
TIP15 HIGHLAND NURSERY
Anglian Water supports the policy requirements for this site allocation for 200 homes and welcomes the inclusion of criterion k setting out how infrastructure for our water recycling processes should be addressed, including referencing the Colchester Local Plan Policy SG7.
We would welcome an amendment to the supporting text to reference the need for developers to seek early engagement with our pre-planning team, to ensure that we have sufficient prior notice of the proposed development prior to the application stage.
We support the inclusion of multi-functional SuDS provision in criterion l. Encouragement of integrated water management such as, rainwater harvesting and reuse would be welcomed to support greater water efficiencies within the development.
TIP16 ELMS FARM
As previously stated for Policy TIP15, Anglian Water supports the policy requirements for this site allocation for 200 homes and welcomes the inclusion of criterion m. setting out how infrastructure for our water recycling processes should be addressed, including referencing the Colchester Local Plan Policy SG7.
We would welcome an amendment to the supporting text to reference the need for developers to seek early engagement with our pre-planning team, to ensure that we have sufficient prior notice of the proposed development prior to the application stage.
We support the inclusion of multi-functional SuDS provision in criterion n. Encouragement of integrated water management such as, rainwater harvesting and reuse, would be welcomed to support greater water efficiencies within the development.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
Whilst not fully within the remit of this neighbourhood plan, the scope of development to the north of Tiptree and need for the completion of the link road to manage traffic movements, which is facilitated in part by the two proposed allocations, it is logical that development will need to come forward in between both allocations to deliver the full extent of the link road. As this central area is within Messing-cum-Inworth Parish, there seems to be a missed opportunity for strategic delivery or master-planning wider development over the longer term (beyond the plan period) - although it is noted that common ground as been established between the two parishes regarding the completion of the ‘missing link’. Master-planning the whole area and associated phasing of infrastructure would offer a more feasible and viable route for delivery and provide greater opportunity for efficiencies and carbon savings. Development of this central area and completion of the link road can only be facilitated through Local Plan policies.
Early consideration of SuDS in the design process can ensure that multi-functional SuDS are utilised effectively and provide a consistent level of protection from surface water flooding across the development. The recently updated Planning Practice Guidance on flood risk clearly states that “The layout and function of drainage systems needs to be considered at the start of the design process for new development, as integration with road networks and other infrastructure can maximise the availability of developable land.” Given the scope and direction of development to the north of Tiptree and the requirement for a new link road, SuDS are an essential component of the design process for the proposed allocations and future growth over the longer term.

Conclusion
Anglian Water supports the direction taken in the Tiptree Neighbourhood Plan - subject to the suggested clarifications - and taken with the recently adopted Colchester Local Plan is consistent with our strategic direction. Our view is that further prominence could be placed on integrated water management in the proposed allocations to maximise efficiencies in water supply and water recycling processes, whilst providing environmental benefits.

I agree

I approve of this policy. Tiptree lacks open space that can be accessed without having to drive. Brook Meadows is one of the last remaining spaces that is feasible to walk to from the centre of Tiptree. During lockdown we felt we might be fined for trying to access Tiptree Heath or Park Lane as they are too far to walk to (half an hour there and back in a suburban setting) and then walk on for a further hour. A lot of older people can only manage an hour's walk.

I agree

Agree

I agree and support Policy TIP11, Tiptree Neighbourhood Plan

I agree

We need to protect our environment. Yes the UK needs housing but it is being done behind the scenes and in an unstructured manner

This is necessary to keep our rural structure

very much agree

I agree