Agenda item - 20/00507/FP OUGHTON HEAD PUMPING STATION, HITCHIN ROAD, PIRTON, HERTFORDSHIRE

REPORT OF THE DEVELOPMENT AND CONSERVATION MANAGER

Upgrade of existing pumping station to provide nitrate removal plant and equipment including change of use of land for operational purposes and all associated works.

RESOLVED:

(1) That application 20/00507/FP be DEFERRED to enable the following to be undertaken:

1) Request that the applicant respond to HCC highways comments and / or request officers to organise a meeting with them to see if the Highways issues can be resolved;

2) The applicant to be requested to provide a copy of the Environment Agency water extraction licence;

3) Officers be requested to contact Herts Ecology to check whether they have any comments or advice on water extraction and the impact on ecology in that location from the wider development;

4) Request that the applicant confirm the method used to transport water from Graffam Water to the site;

5) Officers be requested to provide a legal view as to whether water extraction is a valid material planning consideration.

(2) That the Development and Conservation Manager be requested to provide the Planning Control Committee with a report regarding all of the matters in (1) above once these matters are finalised.

Audio recording – 7 minutes 5 seconds

The Planning advised that Highways maintained an objection, therefore the recommendations contained in the report should be amended to read:

“That subject to any objections by Highways being resolved and any additional highways conditions being added, that planning permission be granted, subject to the conditions and reasons contained in the report of the Development and Conservation Manager.”

He further advised that the Environment Agency had confirmed that a water extraction licence was already held therefore no additional licence was required. Therefore water extraction was not a material consideration in this case as it is an issue for the Environment Agency rather than the Local Planning Authority.

The Planning Officer presented the report in respect of application 20/00507/FP supported by a visual presentation consisting of photographs and plans.

Ms Diane Burleigh thanked the Vice-Chair for the opportunity to address the Committee in objection to application 20/00507/FP and gave a verbal presentation including:

· She was speaking in a personal capacity;

· Pirton Parish Council had raised concerns regarding the impact of the development;

· They had particular concern regarding the impact of the proposed water extraction springhead and the river;

· There was no assessment of the impact on the springhead and the Nature Reserve or Wildlife Area;

· There was a water extraction licence, but it had not been used for many years;

· The comments regarding extraction were therefore premature as the effect of extraction of the Nature Reserve was unknown;

· HMWT were extremely concerned about the impact of water extraction on the nature reserve and this issue was not addressed in the ecological assessment;

· This was a serious omission as the balancing act Members were required to undertake could not be undertaken without this information;

· Chalk Rivers were rare, the River Oughton was one of these and they hosted special types of flora and fauna

· Oughtonhead Common was a Local Nature Reserve which was owned and managed by NHDC

· It hosted more than 200 different types of plants, many species of birds, butterflies, dragonflies, moths, insects, amphibians and mammals;

· Without this information it was impossible for the LPA to assess whether significant impacts would occur and if these could be compensated;

· She urged Members to refuse the application.

The following Members asked questions of Mrs Burleigh:

· Councillor Tom Tyson;

· Councillor Sue Ngwala.

In response to questions Mrs Burleigh advised:

· That she was not aware of the motion passed by Council regarding the perilous nature of chalk streams;

· There was no information provided regarding the amount of water to be extracted or the impact that would have.

The Vice-Chair thanked Mrs Burleigh for her presentation.

Councillors Sam North and Claire Strong thanked the Vice-Chair for the opportunity to address the Committee as Member Advocates in objection to application 20/00507/FP.

Councillor Sam North gave a verbal presentation including:

· There were fewer than 200 chalk streams in the world;

· Percent of these were in Hertfordshire;

· Many species lived solely on these chalk streams;

· Organisations had been warning of the impact of water extractions from chalk streams;

· NHDC had declared a climate emergency and had passed a motion regarding the perilous state of chalk streams;

· Accepting this application would fly directly in the face of that motion;

· Highways stated that this would be prejudicial to general provisions of highway safety;

· The officer report states that this development was an inappropriate development in the green belt;

· Do not feel the small increase in the amount of water available to residents of Hitchin outweighed the damage caused.

Councillor Claire Strong gave a verbal presentation including:

· The proposed buildings were very significant in their size, shape and location;

· The existing pumping station was very visible and this application would almost double the number of buildings;

· The hidden access into the site located on a very dangerous part of the road;

· Not in favour of the suggestion that the application be granted with officers working to overcome the Highways objections;

· The extraction of water would reduce the current healthy flow on the river to a trickle with an impact on ecology;

· She asked that Members refuse the application.

The Vice-Chair thanked Councillors Sam North and Claire Strong for their presentation.

Rebecca Lock, Applicants Agent, thanked the Vice-Chair for the opportunity to address the Committee in support of application 20/00507/FP and gave a verbal presentation including:

· Affinity Water had been working closely with the Environment Agency to reduce the impact of water extractions;

· This included working to reduce extraction by 42 Megalitres per day from endangered chalk streams;

· Due to these reductions it is critical that extractions from other sources were increased to keep supply maintained;

· Affinity had a duty to ensure that there were back up plans in place to supply water to their areas;

· Currently there was supply from the Graffam Water Treatment Works providing imported water;

· This resulted in a high carbon footprint and increased risks of bursts;

· Reinstating Oughton Head would provide a resilliant and sustainable solution;

· The additional buildings were required to provide nitrate removal;

· Other Affinity sites in the area were working at their optimum capacity;

· Creation of a new site would cause greater impact;

· The buildings at Oughton Head already had the abstraction equipment installed, but needed nitrate filtration equipment;

· Safeguarding of the water supply was considered as very special circumstances when considering development in the green belt;

· The access to the site would be widened for the construction period and it would be right hand turn into the site and eft hand turn out of the site;

· The gateway would be moved further onto the site and there were proposals to increase landscaping.

The following Members asked questions of Ms Lock:

· Councillor David Levett;

· Councillor Daniel Allen;

· Councillor Ian Mantle;

· Councillor Tom Tyson;

· Councillor Mike Hughson;

· Councillor Sue Ngwala;

· Councillor Mike Rice;

In response to questions Ms Lock advised:

· The site was classed as operational in that it had equipment installed, although it was not currently in use;

· The carbon footprint was increased by using energy to pump water a long way;

· The proposed extraction rate was 45 megalitres a day and this be used to manage the supply;

· She was unaware of the effects on the chalk stream, however Affinity Water would not undertake this action if it didn’t protect the stream. It should be noted that the river was also being segmented.

The Vice-Chair thanked Ms Lock for her presentation.

The Development and Conservation Manager advised Members that water extraction was a matter for the Environment Agency. There were still concerns regarding the Highways objections. He therefore suggested that the recommendations be changed to defer the application to allow further investigations to be undertaken.

The following Members took part in the debate:

· Councillor Tony Hunter;