Housing developers hoping to gain planning permission in Gedling borough could soon have to agree to install drainage before construction work begins under new measures being proposed.
Gedling Borough Council intends to introduce ‘local guidance’ to address the problem of flooding that has blighted a number of residential areas in the borough – with surface water from elevated new housing developments during heavy rainfall being blamed.
During this week’s Gedling Borough Council meeting (20) , councillors for the Trent Valley Ward, Cllr Sam Smith and Cllr Mike Adams tabled a motion recommending that the Council’s Cabinet introduce a Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) that ensures adequate drainage is installed first on any new housing development site before any other construction works are carried out and that the Planning Department continue imposing planning conditions requiring the implementation of measures to ensure that surface water run-off is mitigated during the construction phase of new housing development on elevated sites.
While tabling the motion, Cllr Sam Smith said: “Orchard Close, Bulcote Drive, Main Street, Trentham Gardens, Chesterfield Drive and Carnarvon Drive in Burton Joyce and Hamilton Close in Arnold are, to name just a few residential roads, that are now all subject to severe flooding caused by water-run off from housing development sites.
“We all know that new housing developments can often cause noise, dust and construction traffic over the period of when they are in construction but some, which are built on a hill or above existing properties, also cause flooding which means, each time it rains heavily, water runs off the building site, flooding gardens, driveways, garages, properties, shops and businesses. Flood water can have a devastating impact and, once it finally drains away, it leaves behind a sea of mud which is then trampled into properties and blocks drains.
“All this leaves our residents worrying about when the next rainfall is, as it could cause even worse flooding, if it begins raining again before this Council has deployed the road sweeper or the County Council has dredged the drains.”
Cllr Sam Smith then called upon all councillors to vote for his motion
“It doesn’t have to be like this every time a new housing development is built on a hill,” he said.
“We, tonight, could vote for this motion to help prevent it by asking our planning officers to continue imposing planning conditions requiring the implementation of measures to ensure that surface water run-off is mitigated during the construction phase of new housing developments on elevated sites and recommending the introduction of a Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) that ensures adequate drainage is installed first on any new housing development site before any other construction works are carried out.”
“While this Council may now apply a condition to future applications on elevated sites, an SPD will strengthen that and add further detail to the policies within the Local Plan. Providing more detailed advice and guidance and ensuring drainage pre-construction stage is a material consideration in decision-making here within our borough.”
Before a vote took place on the motion, Cllr Mike Adams said: “We are fully in favour of improvements to the way that developments are [constructed] within Gedling [Borough].
“If they are done in the right way, we should see sustainable drainage in all developments whether that be in the centre of towns or whether that be a residential or business development. I want to see wildlife in these locations where you are able to dump the water. We need to take surface water away as it causes a lot of damage.”
All Gedling borough councillors voted in favour of the motion. As a result, a report on the possibility of introducing the SPD will be presented to Cabinet meeting in the New Year.
