ipswich.gov.uk

Comment

Representation ID: 25174

Received: 30/10/2017

Respondent: Environment Agency

Although Ipswich will soon benefit from the new Ipswich Tidal Flood Barrier, there remains residual tidal flood risk from barrier failure as well as fluvial flood risk from the River Gipping and neither should be overlooked. There is no mention of the Water Framework Directive (WFD), and the requirements and obligations laid out in the Anglian RBMP. This links to water quality, but also ecology and amenity. Overall, the plan should give greater consideration to the management and enhancement of the water environment.
The existing SFRA does consider the new Ipswich Tidal Flood Barrier and associated works, due for completion by April 2018. It is unclear if there is an intention to undertake a new SFRA, if so we would recommend discussion with ourselves with regard to this work. We are currently preparing new flood models for the River Gipping and the coast and estuaries. These are unlikely to be available until post-submission so they cannot be included in any new SFRA or the Local Plan, but they may need to be taken into account by developers in their FRAs. The Local Plan must also have regard to the Anglian river basin district River Basin Management Plan (RBMP) 2015. The RBMP is referred to in the SA Scoping Report, but it should help underpin and inform policies and approach in the plan. It is not clear if this is the case to date.