Policy 4 – Strategic Infrastructure – supporting text

Para 222 – Reference is made to no additional spending being required for water supply infrastructure. However the WRMP includes new potable water transfers to be funded by Anglian Water through customer bills. We would also expect developers to pay appropriate charges for the required connections to the water supply network.

Both of the documents produced by Anglian Water as referenced in para 222 have been published. Anglian Water’s Water Resource Management Plan (WRMP) was approved by Defra in December 2019 and the Water Recycling Long Term Plan was published in September 2018.

We review our Water Resource Management Plan on a continuous basis and will be preparing a new plan for 2024 which will align with the regional plan being led Water Resources East.

Anglian Water is also to prepare a Drainage and Wastewater Management Plan in partnership with stakeholders including the Greater Norwich authorities, the Broads Authority and the EA. This will be used to inform our next business plan for 2024.

The text should be updated to this effect.

Para 225 – Anglian Water promotes the use of Sustainable Drainage Systems as these have benefits both in terms of surface water and sewer flooding as well as wider environmental and community benefits including water quality enhancement.

The text should be updated to this effect.

Para 226 – reference is made to improved monitoring as outlined in Anglian Water’s Water Recycling Long Term Plan. This relates to the monitoring of foul flows within the network rather than existing Water Recycling Centres as stated.

The text should be updated to this effect.

Para 227 – reference is made to standard charges for ensuring water is supplied to development sites and are drained effectively.

Anglian Water applies developer charges directly for connections to water supply network and foul sewerage networks. The charges for 2020-21 do not include standard charges which were included previously. There is also investment made by Anglian Water as part of our business planning process.

The text should be updated to this effect.

Para 228 – reference is made to the preparation of the Greater Norwich Water Cycle Study. Anglian Water has made detailed comments on the content on the draft study which is to be finalised including addressing comments made by relevant organisations.

We are supportive of a number of policy recommendations as set out in the Draft Study including applicants demonstrating that capacity both within the foul sewerage network and at the receiving Water Recycling Centre (in consultation with Anglian Water) is available to serve development proposals and separation of surface and foul flows wherever possible.

These policy recommendations have not been carried forward into the wording of Policy 2 unlike the reference to increased water efficiency in residential development. Please see suggested changes to Policy 2 of the Local Plan.

Policy 4 – Strategic Infrastructure

Policy 4 as drafted appears to refer to Greater Norwich Authorities and partners lobbying Anglian Water as an infrastructure provider for the timely delivery of improvements including wastewater network, Whtilingham Water Recycling Centre and at Yare Valley Sewer.
Water and sewerage companies including Anglian Water prepare business plans on a 5 year investment cycle. Customer charges will be set following submissions from Anglian Water about what it will cost to deliver the business plan. Anglian Water’s business plan for the next Asset Management Plan period (2020 to 2025) was submitted to our economic regulator Ofwat in 2019.
It is therefore suggested that policy 4 is amended as follows:

‘The Greater Norwich Local Authorities and partners [including utility companies will work together in relation to] [new text] [lobby for] [text to be deleted] the timely delivery of improvements to infrastructure…and to’

In addition the policy as drafted refers to Whitlingham Water Recycling Centres and Yare Valley sewer but not to water supply and sewerage network improvements more generally.